Hi everyone,
 
I'm new on the list (well I've been following it for 6 months...).  This
is my first message and it's to announce that, yes, you guessed it, after
thinking about it for more than a year, we are the proud owners of a little
sand colored ferret that we call Diablo.  We called him Diablo partly
because he runs around and plays like a little devil, and since we are
French Quebecers, and Diable is french for devil I thought that Diablo was
cute enough for that little fur ball.  That said, please don't mind my
ortograph and syntax.  Althought I like to think of myself as well versed
in the language of Shakespeare, I do make mistakes :).
 
I do have a couple of questions concerning my little friend.
 
First of all, the litter I bought is Saular Plus of Favorite Products.
It's a cat's litter.  It's supposed to be 99% dust free and has a small
(very small....;) ) sent of baby powder to cover the sent of the little
gifts.  I made sure that it wasn't the kind of litter that clumps together.
But each time our little friend picks up a magazine and starts doing his
thing (like someone on that list (or in the faq) once put it), well
actually it's when he's finished, he always has 5 or 6 grain of litter
stuck to his anus.  I'm wondering if that's normal and if he'll start
taking those off on his own 'cause I tell you he sure doesn't like me
getting them off of there !!!  (I would'nt like it either...).
 
Also his anus is red almost to the point that I thought he was bleeding.
Is that normal ?  I forgot to mention, Diablo is a little over 8 weeks old.
I know it's a little young but he's the only one they had.
 
And might I say YES !  He did used the litter for the first time tonight
(Well, I have to confess that I did have to move the litter where he did
his thing the other times and the litter is in his cage, but the cage
itself is pretty big, it's a deluxe ferret cage from hagen.  But I was also
wondering, having owned, or rather lived with cats back when I was at my
parent's house, do ferret usually burry they're little gifts like cats do
(our's doesn't).
 
Another question on my mind is the following one.  Since we live in a 4 and
a half room appartement, I am quite concerned about the particular parfum
of Diablo.  I did bought 1 freshener (may not be the right term but is
something that releases parfume over time in the air).  And I also have a
former collegue of mine who has 3 ferrets and she says that right after
giving them a bath and drying them, she sprays baby powder on them.  So I
did buy hypoallergenic J&J baby powder and did put a little on my hands,
rubbed them together and then rubbed some off on the little critter.
Althought he now smells pretty nice, I was wondering if it was dangerous
for him.  I'm thinking that it's not because after all... it's BABY
powder... If it was dangerous they woudn't use it on human babys, am I
right ?
 
Yet another question.  Diablo is quite vocal when he wants out of the cage
or when he wants to be picked up (he loves to fall asleep in our arms) or
when I have to do the unpleasant thing of cleaning his behind.  Is this
normal ?
 
But all together it's been a nice experience so far, considering that we
have him since yesterday late afternoon.
 
I did went throught the FAQ at ferretcentral, and found it VERY helpful to
prepare me for the acquisition.
 
Ok, so this is it.  Ok, Ok, it was more than a couple of questions but I
wan't nothing but the best for our little friend :).
 
Thanks for all the help you can give us !
 
Hugo & Julie
Vanier
Province of Quebec
Answers can be sent on the list or at [log in to unmask]
Thanks.
[Posted in FML issue 2481]