Hello all, this my first post.  I've been lurking here for about 6 mos.
now.  I've had ferrets for almost 3 yrs.  I live in central Pa and
currently have 26 fuzzbuts, more than half of those being rescues.  My
younger brother started the whole "business" when he went to college and
he and his girlfriend decided it would be really cool to get a ferret for
his BASEMENT apartment where he almost NEVER was.  When he came home on
the weekends to be with said girlfreind the ferret spent most of its time
in a pet carrier.
 
This lasted about 2 months when he asked me if I would take the ferret.
We've been down this road before and I KNEW this would happen, like with
his snakes and other things.  Also my mom, who doesn't like and is afraid
of ferrets, called asking me to take it because she was upset about how it
was in the carrier all the time.  This from a woman who thinks I'm NUTS for
having all the animals I do!  I have 3 dogs, 4 cats, (mostly rescues) a
canary, a guinea pig, (has since crossed rainbow bridge) and 4 fish tanks.
Well naturally I was concerned about a ferret fitting in.  Well he brought
"her" down to give it a try.  I was immediately alarmed when I saw the
bright flourescent green poops.  Found out this was from being fed Lucky
Carms.  Oh yes, brother ran out of ferret food and thought this would be
just fine!  I immediately fed cat food until I could go get ferret food.
We soon found the dogs and fuzzie to be ok, and the cats, who I thought
would look at fuzzie as a squirrel, were in big trouble.  They did NOT
expect the fuzzie to jump on THEM!  I began to read and collect all the
info on ferrets that I could.  Normally, I would do this before I got the
pet.  I soon learned a lot and about shows and started to go.  We've met a
lot of great people, and have had a lot of fun.  Brother and girlfriend
came with me and have gotten a huge education on ferrets.  (No more Lucky
charms) As usual, Stinky, who was actually a very petite "he" was the
perfect 1st ferret.  Ferret math struck and that's all she wrote!  We had 6
surgeries last year betwwen May and August.  All had adrenals with other
things mixed in.  2 also had insulinoma, we had a huge kidney tumor and a
spleen tumor.  All were rescues, but one.  All are doing well, but we lost
Mickey on Jan. 5th.  It was my first death and VERY hard.  I would like to
ask people who have the recipes to some things I've seen on the list to
privately e-mail them to me.  I know everyone is tired of hearing this, but
I'd like to have them.  Bobs chicken gravy, LUMPS, Green Goo, Timmys tonic.
I've read these things can have great effect on sick ferrets.
 
Also, I wanted to let people know I was a part of the ADV list.  Anne Ryan
did a lot of hard work on the post and others did go over it.  In NO WAY
was anyone involved in politics or hurting anyone else.  These people are
all concerned and driven to help ferrets everywhere.  Maybe some did not
like how things were worded, but it was never meant to lay blame or cause
an uproar.  Only to get the info out, so everyone could pull together and
start to help the cause.
 
My, this turned out VERY LONG, hope you can post it, BIG.  Thanks,
 
Nicole
[Posted in FML issue 2946]