Just read the story of the heavy sleeping ferret.  I think many of us have
had heavy sleepers who gave us a scare, even when we knew better.  Jonathan
(my SP (Sweetie-Pie because I think it was Paw-Paw that said SO was so
impersonal)) and I bought two ferrets for one of our best friends.  We were
sneaking up to her apartment to surprise her when Jonathan asked if I
thought the male was okay.  I picked Gambit up and his head kind of rolled
around.  I giggled, having experience with very sleepy ferrets.  "Look it's
DEAD!" I said, and shook him slightly towards my husband who was quite
appalled at me.  "Anna, that's sick!  What happened to him!  He was fine a
few minutes ago!" "Oh he's just sleeping," I told him in my most
knowledgable voice.  "Beauregard did this all the time." I shook Gambit a
little again and his head rollllled to the other side, his tongue hanging
out slightly.  I blew lightly in his ear.  No response.  I pinched his nose.
No response.  I shook him again a little more forcefully.  No response.  I
ruffed up the fur on his back in quick motions.  No response.  At this point
I was about to hurl my lunch as I realized I was playing around with a dead
kit.  Just when I was about to admit that something was wrong, Gambit opened
his sleepy eyes and yawned.  Go figure.
 
Enjoy them while they sleep. It's the only time you get peace!
 
Anna
[Posted in FML issue 1861]