Hi all. I didn't get to read the FML over the weekend, nor on Monday, so I'm reading all of them today (Tuesday). In response to Kate, I've got a couple of ferrets, and one cat, who would not take treats from my hands. Nutmeg just doesn't seem to understand at all and so will not take anything from my hand or even from the floor. Sam will lick the treat but will not take it. I have to lead his face down to the floor with the treat so that he will eat it. Java is getting better about taking the treats, but I think that's because Mercury is usually finished with his in an instant and will try to snag any other treat I offer to anyone. The cat, Diesel, is so very dainty about accepting food that she'll sort of tug the treat out of your hand and let it drop before going for it. Unfortunately, this usually results in one of the piggy cats getting it. Unlike Java, she hasn't figured this out yet. As for Liz, I give all my ferrets the same thing for stimulation: other ferrets! Oh, I also give them rattle balls to throw around. They seem to end up in the litter box usually, except for the girls, who like to put theirs in the drip cup under the water bottle. Outside of the cage, the ferrets have lots of jingle and rattle balls, a crocheted easter egg, one of the drain-pipe tubes (a new edition that seems to be a hit)m, and a bunch of small stuffed things. I must admit that my guys don't seem to play with toys very much. Skittles plays the most, and she usually just collects the stuffies and stashes them, usually behind one of the cages or carriers. The rest of the kids spend their time running around mostly. The question was asked about how long you can hold off surgery once a female ferret shows a swollen vulva. I just asked the same question of my ferret guru. I was told that you can wait over a year, but the ferret will be bald as a bowling ball by then. I've been on watch with my girl Nutmeg for the past little while. Recently she confirmed my suspicions by developing a swollen vulva. am forced to wait to take her in for diagnostic x-rays and eventually surgery. As long as she does not stop eating or lose weight or become ill in any way, I'm okay with the wait. I'd like to hear other opinions, tho. Gotta run. Work needs to be done. Take care, folks. Anastasia Kidd Plainfield, NJ PS: Do you have any idea how difficult it is to clean ferret cages with a sprained/abused knee? Someone remind me not to go nuts in the garden on the first really good weekend of spring! And I have trouble getting over the ferret gate on a good day... [Posted in FML issue 3012]