Melissa, Potpie, and Friday here.
 
Experienced folks:
From those experienced in introducing only-ferrets (2 yrs) to other
ferrets, i need advice.  Yeah, i need to give them time.  No, im *NOT*
going to let them 'fight it out.' Potpie is scared to death of Friday
(goes limp, trembles, attacks silently and viciously given opportunity),
and there'd be bloodshed were i to release them at the same time.  So far,
only contact's been through cage bars, with MUCH attention and positive
reinforcement for Potpie when she's polite and nice and a stern NO and
picking up/removal from the cageside when she's mean; stroking and
comforting when she's agitated, etc.  No punishment.  Friday, btw, thinks
Potpie and Spooky the cat are the greatest things since Ferretone, and
would happily lick Spooky's ears off if given the chance (he thinks the
ferrets are kittens, his mom says.  Tolerant cat).
 
Drs:
Second: upon taking Friday to the vet for boosters, i noticed she had a
swollen vulva. The vet did bloodwork, called back. Friday's slightly anemic
but otherwise healthy, and we need to do an exploratory.  She suspects
adrenal tumors, rattled off some more symptoms, of which Friday displayed
 
one (excessively itchy).  The bloodwork was otherwise normal. Augh! I'll
post the count later this week when i get it, but dont think i should
wait to have the exploratory done (i trust Dr. Daldin).  This really
bites - despite cage restrictions and an unwelcoming housemate, Friday is
a sweet, inquisitive, intelligent, well-behaved, endearingly clumsy
ferret who gives frantically happy dog-style kisses (*LICK!*LICKLICKLICK*
I LOVE YOU! *LICKLICKLICK!*) and dances happily when talked to. Augh!
This is a case of bad luck intertwined with good - her previous owners
wouldnt have had the faintest clue anything could be wrong, but *sigh*
she's still so young. Feh.
 
Potpie, 'no, please, mom, she's going to lick me again, MOOOOOOM!' and
Friday, 'i'll just chew on Spooky, then. *fling*' and
Melissa, *sigh*
 
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      Melissa Litwicki         "It's big, sharp teeth and claws versus
      [log in to unmask]              a mind of questionable wit."
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[Posted in FML issue 1181]