Hello all!  Yesterday brought very nice weather for us and my husband and
I decided to take Fidgit to campus to play.  (my husband was playing
volleyball, Fidgit was keeping me company).  We only stayed outside for
about 45 minutes or so, but today Fidgit seems very tired.  He's played
outdoors before without acting much different.  He was exposed to quite a
few new things yesterday however...He encountered rollerbladers (he dispised
them); bikes...he tried to chase them a few times; he finally noticed birds
flying overhead...he cowered when they flew over him; and he had fun
stepping on the dandelions.  He did not eat any grass or other outside stuff
and he didn't even dig in dirt.  I can't figure out why he is so lazy today.
He seems to be eating the food we gave him and he is drinking water and
pottying normally.  Am I concerned over nothing or could he be ill?  I don't
know if the grass we walked thru was treated, but he didn't eat any of it
(i'm sure).  Would just playing in treated grass be harmful?  He seems a
little more energetic with my husband (unfortunately he isn't home much
today) but if I pick him up to play he just lays in my arms for awhile,
gives me kisses and will attempt to play with me for a few minutes.  He does
wander around the floor exploring for bit too, just seems disinterested.
Could it just be warmer weather bothering him?
 
I also had a question about pedialyte & ferrets.  My husband and I are
moving at the end of the month.  My parents are coming in a week or so
(whenever my baby decides to make an entrance) and will be taking the ferret
and rabbit back with them.  It will be a 8 hour drive and the car doesn't
have a/c.  We have frozen water bottles ready to go with them.  I was
wondering if we could add pedialyte to the drinking water bottles to help
aid in dehydration.  If so how much would one mix in?  Fidgit and the rabbit
have both traveled in the car during the 8 hour ride and do great, but the
weather is starting to warm up.  Any other suggestions would be appreciated.
 
On a sad note a neighbor of my parents had a male albino ferret and decided
she didn't have time for it.  I had told said person my husband and I would
adopt it upon moving there.  Apperently she tired of him quicker and gave
him to her brother (who shouldn't be allowed to have any living creature in
his presence) to watch.  THe brother thought it was like a cat and let it
out to play (outside).  The ferret was never seen again.  But considering
they live in a trailer park where dogs/cats run rampant and breed out of
control her brother said he's sure it was eaten alive.  It didn't phase them
at all that the ferret died a needless death.  Poor Fee(the ferret).  If
only we could have moved sooner :( Had I known the ferret was to even live
with the brother a day I would have had my parents ferret-sit for us a few
weeks till we move there.  I've known the neighbor for years and she's
always been very kind to animals and cared for them best she could.  I was
shocked to talk to the neighbor tonite and have her tell me she let the
ferret go to her brother.  I just feel so bad for the ferret, he was so
loving despite the numerous homes he had already lived in the 3 years or so
he lived.  Fee was the cutest thing..even though I thought he looked a
little ragged.  He loved playing with the dogs and got along with other
ferrets.  He loved to curl up on your lap and sleep while you watched tv, he
would even run downstairs when told it was time for him to go to his
home(his cage).  He tried so hard to please people...but nobody gave him the
love he so desperately sought.  Although while living with the neighbor he
was treated well.  Got good food, out of cage time (not quite as much as he
should have though), had a large cage with lots of accessories and stuff, &
regular vet care.  I still feel bad though.
 
Alicia, Skot, & Fidgit
[Posted in FML issue 2300]