I too would like to know the stuff for the itchy ferrets
 
Ariel, on your too fat ferret.  I have a little 3 year old, Joy, who is
going in soon to be fixed.  I am worried cause she is so fat and so soft
she is squishy when you pick her up.  She plays and all and I don't notice
an abnormal amount of eating but when she walks, she barely clears the
floor.  I am hoping it doesn't cause her trouble for the operation.  My vet
says afterward we will figure up an exercise program for her - never heard
of such a thing but it seems to be better than just cutting back on diet -
builds up heart muscle and body tones..... when I learn this, I will pass
it along.
 
Discovered new play pretty --I brought in a small carrying ice chest, was
alarmed to find I had a leaking roof (in TEXAS no less) and water was
pouring in a light fixture (roof is 4 years old) so I opened the lid and
stuck it under the leak - it had some ice left in it.  Well, the half dozen
came out of the woodwork, that was the most amazing thing to them ever,
just tall enough to stretch up and lean over into with the butts waving in
the air, the ceiling leak hitting them in the fanny and they just had the
best time (floor already wet).  Well I was going to the store anyway and I
bought a large under the bed storage box, fixed up area near their cage
(must have been the give-a-way, that it was meant for them) laid a towel
down, a little box to step up on, and they completely ignored it, going
back to the ice chest over and over even after the leak stopped dripping!
 
The oddest theft I have experience:  the lid of the ice chest drug part
way under the couch - and no I did not put it there and how and where
they got their teeth on anything that size and could drag it...had to be
team work - pushing maybe...
 
When I read of the killing of ferrets, I went and hugged all mine, the
little angels, I can't imagine any thing so sweet being killed in that
manner, or by dogs as a few have had to experience, so much pain/fear.
 
And the poor darlings in the rain, how many do have to endure those
conditions and no one care, here someone with a heart is being torn to
pieces because she is helpless to do anything.  Sure wish the humain
society or whatever went by at the time to see their hammocks full of water
and the condition they were in.  Don't give up, continue to go by and check
on them, maybe even offer to bring a tarp to put over the top of the cage -
she may get tired of you enough she eventually will turn them over to you.
If she starts to get calluse then tell her it is breaking your heart the
condition of the ferrets being so sad and how happy yours are (don't be
trying to spare her feelings by this time) and if she isn't listening then
go the last resort and call in the hounds and see what they can do.  My
first ferret came from someone who left him in the yard in a cage, no
covers, Texas grueling hot weather in the 100's, how it lived to escape I
don't know but it "disappeared" after coming into my yard and all the
neighbors threatened me if I turned it back over to these people, they
would report ME.  So I learned about ferrets and fell in love.  I wonder
now (20 years later) if I did the right thing but I wouldn't take for the
companionship, pictures and memories.  (I didn't steal him, exactly, he was
running loose in my yard I did check with authorities and stuff.  Iit was a
couple days later I learned who it belonged to, he didn't come hunting.
His dogs were in horrid shape too).  I guess I still have a guilt complex
after all.
 
And a thank you from my crew to the Dookmother who helped get that exactly
right ferret into the hands of that exactly right owner.  Its something
that warms the heart, I too wanted her to have that very ferret but didn't
know what I could do to help, didn't think.  You did certainly make what
sounds like a very happy twosome, hopefully a combo that will last for
years.  Thank you for your kindness.
 
Millie & her noble cleaning crew
Easy Off:  the most perfect ferret in the whole wide world
Ammonia:  Well, how was she to know I wanted to be picked up if I didn't
          pull a runner in her nylons?  I was being hospitable.
Cascade:  Here Dizzy, let me fix those ears up for you, honey
Ajax:  Okay, girlies, this is war, this is mine, this is mine and this
       is mine. I'm getting bigger you know.
Dizzy:  Now, little one, you have to be gentle with the opposite sex
Joy:  Speaking of opposite sex, pretending to cough all the time is not
      going to save you from that itsy bitsy operation, Dizzy "Darling"
[Posted in FML issue 2455]