>I posted this to the health list twice (7/3/03 and 7/10/03) with no
>response.
 
S., you must have missed the FHL comments.  I know this sort of question
was replied to recently (having been one of the people responding); it
may be that someone else asked the same thing so your notes did not get
specific replies because the info you wanted was in neighboring ones and
as a result folks figured that you would notice those comments in general
reading.  I think that this information may also be in the poop charts
or one of the other things mentioned in past FML and FHL posts.  Yes,
according to past vet posts in the FML and FHL slime can be caused by
anything that irritates the intestine enough to cause extra mucus
production.  Also, even in well ferrets there can at time be an
elimination of extra mucus.  If an extra amount continues in otherwise
normal stools there is irritation and it pays to check with your vet who
may first want a stool sample to see if there actually is more than the
normal range for mucus content.  Obviously, for stools (other than the
occasional one) that aren't normal a vet visit makes sense.  The thing
about fecal presentation is that there tend to be multiple causes for the
symptoms when things go wrong: viral (such as ECE), mechanical (such as a
partial blockage, a tumor, etc.), bacterial, inflammatory response,
parasitic infection, etc. so a person can't give a list of options for
something as general as extra mucus.  It's one of those "When in doubt,
see the vet" types of things.
[Posted in FML issue 4217]