Well, I've gone and done it... I called my local shelter and asked if they
had any ferrets and they said YES, one.  They're not a no-kill shelter so
I boogied on down there to see if it was a suitable sibling for Camilla.
(They didn't even know what sex it was.)
 
Well I get down there to find a 4 lb monster (obviously male), blazed and
mitted, sitting in a small cage in the lobby with about 60 caged cats.
Eating cat food.  After letting him play with Camilla for 5 minutes I
notice
a) they seem to get along fine b) he apparently has ear mites (which they
confirmed).  So I took Gonzo and his ear medicine back home.  And by the
way, I can't believe MF bred him that way for looks - woof.
 
I have a bunch of questions though.  Any ideas what the percentage chance
is that he's deaf?  I haven't gotten any reaction to snapping fingers
behind his ears, but then Camilla often ignores that too, and I know she
can hear.  Any suggestions of better hearing tests?  If he is deaf, is
there something besides scruffing that I can use to train him?
 
How long should I quarantine him from Camilla while he's on the ear
medicine?  I know she doesn't have mites.  Is it OK for them to sniff
each other through the cage, or for her to play with a toy he just used?
 
Also, the shelter didn't have any info on him because his owner died and
the next of kin brought him in.  I'm afraid to give him rabies and
distemper shots if he's recently had them - I hear he can have a really bad
reaction.  Should I take the risk of a reaction?  Maybe wait a month or so?
 
Any advice would be greatly appreciated - I couldn't get a vet appt til
Thursday.
 
--Lorelei, Camilla and Gonzo
[Posted in FML issue 3236]