Kevin,
Spring has sprung here in New England too, although we haven't taken any of
our crew out to the lakes and ocean yet.  It sounds like the German's have
one up on many of the people here.  When we do take ours out, about 20% of
the people still ask me "What are those?" Oh well, they've only been "legal"
here for a little less than 4 years, and in Germany for a few hundred
thousand <G>.
 
Jon,
Please talk your wife out of declawing your ferret.  Their claws are like
the ends of your fingers or your toes.  They need them for grasping and for
walking.  A declawed ferret is a crippled ferret in my opinion.  I'm sure
many vets wouldn't even do the operation.
 
Gizzie is just a little kit who has a lot of learning to do.  Your job as a
new ferret parent is to teach her acceptable behavior.  If you are
consistent with discipline and loving, she will settle down as she gets
older.  Please, please don't declaw her.
 
Ferretone is a fatty oil high in vitamin A.  Most ferrets love it.  It can
be used as a training aid.  A little on you hand or finger when she does
something you want to reinforce.  Like, hold her on your terms.  Don't let
her down no matter how much she wriggles and squirms.  Eventually she'll
give a big sigh and relax.  That's the time to give her a small reward of
ferretone.  As she grows older, you'll find that she will then love to be
picked up and held.
 
Don't follow the directions on the bottle and put it on her food.  Use it
sparingly, only offered on your hand as a reward, or a drop or two on her
abdomen when you need to clip her nails.
 
Adrenal tumors are all too common in ferrets.  When one developes the tumor
and adrenal gland must be removed.  Symptoms are usually, in a female
ferret, swollen vulva and, in about 85% of the cases, hair loss beginning at
the base of the tail, spreading up the flanks and abdomen.  What the adrenal
operation does is removes a potentially maligant tumor.
 
Do download the ferret FAQs as described at the beginning of each FML.  It
contains a wealth of information on training and ferret care.  Also frequent
the postings here and ask as many questions as you can.  Most people here
are quite friendly and willing to help.
 
Kevin  RE: Seedy stools
The seedy stools are not that uncommon and indicate a more rapid than usual
passage of food through the gut.  The "seeds" are bits of undigested food.
It's often caused by stress, and an operation is certainly stressful.  Keep
an eye on him.  If you are concerned, contact the vet that did the
operation.  The diarrhea should clear in a day or two.  Dehydration is the
biggest danger usually.  Keep him well hydrated.  Scruff him and see if the
skin quickly returns to normal.  If it stays scruffed, he's dehydrated and
needs to be rehydrated as quickly as possible.  Use an eyedropper and
dribble water in the corner of his mouth between teeth and gums, and call a
vet right away.
 
A 1/3 - 1/2 cc dose of Kaopectate or Pepto Bismol given 3-4 times a day will
usually help firm the stool, but do contact your vet before giving him
anything.  S/he will give you the dosage appropriate to the weight of your
ferret.  I am not a vet.
 
Dick B.
[Posted in FML issue 1547]