>Just a quick note about how I've seen cat nip effect ferrets: I have
>three that ignore it and two that get very bitey when it is anywhere
>near them.  It's the only time those fur balls try to take a chunk out
>of you.  No more nip for them.  Weird.
 
Interesting.  Except for very unusual or rare situations (like removing
catheters which poor Toots will go through yet again since our poor
little guy with deformities and IBD has surgery today) our's just don't
bite, and catnip doesn't affect them that way.
 
Is it possible that your alpha ferret first showed the behavior and the
others copied it?  Ashling is the alpha here and she has a tendency to
hold her tail curving to right when she is intense.  Yep, you guessed it:
several of our ferrets began doing the same thing and even to the same
side!
 
Tracy: read the flea and general sections of the compilation at
http://www.smartgroups.com/vault/ferrethealth/common_parasites.txt which
has a lot of vet and other expert posts on just this topic all in one
place.  That should be a major help for you.
 
Adrenals: be careful about generalizing between species.  Ferret adrenal
growths DIFFER CONSIDERABLY from those of dogs or humans!  If you want
to learn specifics I'd suggest checking into the works of Doctors Jerry
Murray, Charles Weiss, and Bruce Williams for starting points.  Two of
these and other excellent vets are members of the Ferret Health List and
can help in knowing what does and what does not apply to ferrets to
reduce such confusion.  Shorten the URL above and ask there for their
input.
 
In the posts carried from the FHL is a short one that answers your
question by Dr. Bruce Williams about a research study he and Dr. Charles
Weiss did using Lupron alone for ferrets and how it controlled some of
the symptoms making them happier but did NOT stop the growth of the
tumors.  Since i didn't notice it in today, Bill's note applies:
>[Moderator's note: I put in about half of them today -- I'll hold the
>rest for a lighter day.  BIG]
 
or you can find it within about the last three weeks of posts on the FHL.
Always best to check with the experts like vets who know endocrinology
specifically of ferrets before drawing conclusions!  Neither
endocrinology nor ferret health are uncomplicated, and given that the
endocrinology can vary among species...
 
Need some sleep so hope that I am understandable enough in my wording.
Up late nad then up early.  Sevie is having a follow-up on her Complete
A/V Heart Node Block and Scooter(our boy who was adopted due to his
deformities.) is having abdominal surgery for an unexplained mass.
Doesn't matter how many decades a person has with ferrets or how many
surgeries there have been (or even how many deaths since we have so far
not had any die in surgery or during the recovery period during our 20
years with them in the family) a person still always worries for them
when they go in, even knowing that doing so gives them their best shot at
a long and healthy life...
 
>You shouldn't rule out adrenal disease but you might look to see if your
>boy has something he likes to stick his head into.
 
LOL, and I second that.
 
Alexandra: Ah, yes!  They love to pull that stuff and they HAVE to mark
new floors because the new flooring at first causes some insecurity so
they have to make it their own by making it smell right.  Whaever you do,
don't use ammonia on it or that wil worsen the numbers of accident (ly on
purpose) s.
[Posted in FML issue 3896]