Yesterday I looked all over the back room for Peekaboo but she was not
in any of her usual hidy areas. I thought she may have climbed up and
out of the open window or that maybe a hawk (that lives in my back
yard) had managed to swoop her out.

After a long search I found her under the cage all curled up. Where it
is close quarters under there I got her leg and tail and slid her out
on the painted floor. She did not move a muscle! I played with her
feet and moved her head all over, not a single movement! I was all but
totally convinced I had found a dead ferret that had not yet gained
rigor. I picked her up, played with her feet and legs, not a single
movement. This was NOT good!

I walked around the room thinking of what may have got her. I had
decided she just crashed and died. Have had a few do that, they were
perfectly normal only a few hours prior but were dead when I found
them. Pete died like that and so did Bud and Nibble-ed.

I was really worried that Peekaboo had found the bridge and crossed it.
But I looked closely at her chest for signs of breathing, and for sure
there were breathing movements. Phew !

I just held her, went outside holding her in my arms walking all over
the yard. I went down in the woods and then back up to the house.
Peekaboo never stirred a single muscle until I got back by the cage
where she raised her head in surprise at "Dang! How did *I* get
here???". Ha!

I set her down and watched her for a while, she acted quite normal and
did nothing out of the ordinary. This was the deepest sleep I have ever
seen a ferret go into. Have seen this before but NOTHING like this!

So I will keep an eye on her from now on.

Gordon, Peekaboo and Pester.

J. Gordon Bengtson
Aarrow-Ranch Aviation
Mechanicsville, Virginia 23111 

[Posted in FML 5992]