I just got done reading the FMl and saw the post about the Petco baby
dying in Washington.  so I wanted to tell you all whats going on here in
Las Vegas with Petco kits.
 
After the symposium the gals from FA came by my house, they were at a
Petco and said there were some sad loking babies, one in particular, very
thin and frail.  They alos told me someone else at the symposium bought a
kit from another Petco, but had to go to 2 different Petco's, the first
store had kits with the greenies.
 
On Monday I visited one of the stores and saw the ferrets, stools looked
good.  One habitat had larger kits all but one was livley, a male was
actually thin and was being picked on by the others.  I asked the worker
there, who I know to see the little kit that my friend asked me to check
up on.  I was brought to their "sick room".  In a 10 gallon aquarium there
were 3 kits, 2 looked ok but the little girl looked awful.  She looked to
be about 5 weeks old, thin, but alert.  The other 2 were picking on her
and she tried to eat but the food was all nasty.  The girl informed me
she was going to take care of this.  I recommended that she seperate the
little girl for her own good.  I got no response.
 
I went out to the other ferret habitat and all the kits were tiny, very
tiny, some still with shaved bellys from the spay.  The stools were normal
but they looked lethargic and had a look about them that they were not
feeling good.  I can't describe the look, I have been around critters
long enough to know the look, 9 out of 10 times I am correct.
 
I asked her if I could buy the litle sick girl for 1/2 price, I know very
bad, but she looked so weak.  She said the manager was not in but call
tomorrow.
 
Ok, i go to work the next day, get a call from a lady who bough a kit from
a totaly differect Petco than the others, it died in a few days, she goes
back they give her another one, 2 days later, $300 vet bill later it also
dies.  Her vet is going to do a necropsy, I asked her to inform me of the
results.  she is devistated, I met her yesterday, she was crying, she now
is going to adopt she is afraid to buy another kit.
 
Ok, last night I get a call from the person that bought a kit from Petco
when they were here for the symposium, it died.  She said he was seizuring
and screaming before he died.  This was different news from what the other
person told me.
 
Ok, one more, i adopted a ferret out yesterday, Salem, for those who met
him.  They were going to buy a kit from the Petco across from the Petsmart
where I work, but he said they just laid there, they looked weak.
 
So today, my day off, I'm going to call a manager that I know well at
Petco to see what I can find out.  Also if anyone can provide a number
that I can reach a person at MF, one who will listen, please e mail me the
number.  I'm not going to rant and rave, I just am very concerned about
what is going on and I think MF needs to know the whole situation.
 
Please if anyone is considering getting a kit form a petstore, be careful.
If you have other ferrets, at his point I wouln't take the chance.  I'm
not panicing but just trying to make sure no one gets a sick kit or
infects if thats the case, their other ferrets.
 
Anyone, Please let me know of other cases, we as the ferret community need
to get to the bottom of this.  Maybe its nothing, but I sure would like a
peace of mind on the matter.
 
Cj
24 Carat Ferret Rescue And Shelter
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P.S. I am going to visit a few more Petco's today, I'll post what I see.
[Posted in FML issue 3687]