Hi Catherine;
 
Just wanted to pass something by you on the ferret that has some nails
missing... One of my recent additions to our family was adopted from the
local SPCA.  Her back feet are exactly like what you describe your ferret's
front feet look like.  She has some of the toes carrying a weird type of
nail, and some that carry no nail what so ever.  She has two on one foot
and three nails on the other.  I also have another ferret that has "two"
nails growing from one tow.  My vet felt that it was actually a single nail
that had split in the nail bed.  It does look like two though.  Her sister
has no nail on one toe - she makes up for her sister's double... ;-)
 
After taking mine to the vet, he felt strongly that it was more of a birth
defect than actual declawing or nail removal.  This may be the case with
your ferrets as well.  It could be that these ferrets got their nails
caught in bedding and ending up ripping them out themselves.  It could have
happened when they were young and didn't have their nails trimmed for a
very long time.
 
Just something to ponder...
 
Betty and Her Blur O'Fur
For the Love of Ferrets... Missing Bear
[Posted in FML issue 3124]