hi all,
I'm just catching up on last weeks FML's and wanted to post this email that
I sent to Rachel about banana peels (FML March 13).  I want to urge you to
not let you ferrets play with peels, pits or the like.  These are nasty
when they dry, and can cause blockages, and worse damage to your ferrets
digestive system.  I learned the hard way.
 
I wrote:
 
Hi Rachel,
I was just catching up on the FML, and noticed on the March 13 issue you
mentioned your ferret liking the banana peel.  Please throw it out
immediately after eating.  I made the mistake of leaving a peel on the
coffee table and forgot about it and my first ferret Tinker must have
snatched it and dragged it off to his hiding place.  Days later he was
vomiting, and could not keep down any food.  He was hospitalized, had
exploratory surgery to see if there was a blockage from it (we did find
nasty dry, peices of peel in vomit).  My poor baby went through so much.
He didn't have any blockages, but found that his esophogus was damaged (now
had reflux esophogus, klebsella, and ulcers.  This was irreversible.His
esophogus was damaged so bad that he had to be fed duck soup for the rest
of his life- four times per day.  No dry food ever again.  And I had 4
other ferrets(had one other at time,added more later.  He now had to be
separated from them.
 
Tinker was in the hospital over a month or so, because he kept getting
sick.  My baby died in October at 4 years old of Cardiomyopothy and fluid
in the lungs.  He was the sweetest ferret ever.  He was my soulmate.  I
would've traded anything or done anything for him.  We had a very special
bond over the 3 1/2 years that I special feed him, and I would never trade
that; but, I think he could have had a longer life if it weren't for his
tramatic incident with the banana peel.  Which I blame myself for.  He was
at deaths door when I found a special ferret vet after the peel incident
(Dr.Edwards,Brockport Animal Hospital, NY).  I am very lucky to have had
the last 3 years with him.  Tinker lived because of the great people here
on the FMl helped me find a great vet, and helped me make contacts with
ferret people in my area.
 
I am sorry this is so long, but this is one of the worst incidents of my
life and I hope I can help prevent it for someone else.  You may be able to
search the FML archives to find my original posts, around Feb 1996.  It was
very expensive as well, to help Tinker- around $1000 or more initially, and
them all the special ingredients for 3 years.  Not great for a disabled mom
out of work and a student.I would spend it again for any one of my guys,
but, I would much rather prevent it.
 
Thanks for reading this, you can see my Tinker at:
http://www.iinc.com/~reefs
 
Best wishes,
Laurie
[Posted in FML issue 2995]