Thanks again for further hind end weakness info.  The ill one locally turned
out to have atypical insulinoma, but hearing of other possible causes from
neurological, to urinary cysts, to ...  has been very useful.  Thanks to the
vets who posted here with multiple options and to the owners who mailed
directly to us with their observations.
 
NAME my ferret: well, there are always: Ruttle (Grab an O.E.D.; it's an
archaic word which fits their form of investigation and goes well with
another old name), Jello or Junket (the belly motion of many male ferrets
and a dessert for Kramer -- plus the second is a pun whenever the little one
goes patrol-weasel), Elmer Thud or Volstag ( approximations to
fictional/mythical characters), Whiteout or Avalanche (Need I mention the
effect when Kramer enters a room?), Hoover (for the man who would never
vacuum -- sort of the odd couple routine), and Filch (Just think of the fate
of Elaine's bike.).
 
Sadly, we do not have shots of the wheelchair.  The wire is used to make
sort of a sturdy 'cage' from which the hammock sections can be hung.  These
days I'd attach the hammocks with velcro for easy cleaning.  Check in a
hardware store for the wire and casters.
 
Re: singed whiskers.  This is not something to take lightly since it could
indicate that your ferret may have found a fire hazard of which you are
unaware.  Did you know that the townhalls or fire departments of many
communities have fire marshalls with lots of useful hand-out info (and
sometimes free safety inspections)?  (Local police will often also provide
free safety surveys to help home owners prevent crime, BTW.)  Protect your
entire family!
 
Beverly Sills lost a dog in a toilet.  It was small and landed in there head
first, but because porcelain is so smooth it could turn itself and drowned.
Keep lids closed around pets!
 
Bob, the molar vs.  molarform thing is similar to a common misunderstanding
among folks: that having a canine means one must be from carnivorous
ancestors.  They are always upset when I mention that it's just a tooth name
for a type with only one per quadrant usually with very long root which is
between the incisors and premolars, and that human canines are incisorform
(except for one FEMALE vet tech we knew years ago who had thick maxillary
ones with rounded points that extended well over her lower lip -- no they
were NOT caps or stage teeth --now, she was someone the patients never
crossed).
 
Joe, you can use his ready sneeze response to teach Timon to use a
handkerchief (not joking).  Our asthmatic Ruffle (She's the dwarf who is
also arthritic and retarded, etc.  -- many separate problems has Ruffle --
the arthritis and dwarfism go together, but not the rest.) has a chronically
running nose, and people are always entranced when we hold up a handkerchief
telling her to blow her nose.  She leans forward and blows hard right into
it for us.
 
The nostril holding trick might not always work.  I've had an abused
fur-fitch kit scream for me to come, holding its lips open enough while its
canines were buried in my hubby's finger.  She could have done the same to
breathe.  Of course, to get a biter you usually need a ferret which has been
abused (or -- in extremely rare cases -- is intellectually impaired) and has
been trained with physical punishment, rather than with time out if bad
combined with lavish praise when good.  (This is as opposed to kit play nips
and teething chewing.)
 
In a recent game of blanket drag the guys tried something new with each
pass.  Best was when they laid down before it and let it roll them over.
Also tried: reclining on belly or back, running on the blanket, climbing the
blanket to my hand, and laying down facing toward or away from the flow of
the blanket to have fur rearranged.
 
                        Sukie, Steve, and the Six
[Posted in FML issue 1471]