Hello everybody, first of all my heart goes out to you all with sick fuzzies and to those that have crossed. Im so sorry. I have 3 Healthy MF ferrets they are all about 5-6 months, They are simply wonderful! We also have a dog (Lhasa Apso) and a housecat. they get along fine with the ferrets. My first problem is with Max, the newest to our family. he was "12-14 weeks" when we got him so they say, he was really big but still had his milk teeth. but the thing is with Max is he's so "different" from Harley Ann, & Teddy bear. I do realize that all ferrets are different but he is soooo different. he will not eat anything other then their food, no treats or ferretvite or anything no human food either, which makes rewarding him hard, also makes clipping his nails impossible! he really doesn't care for us humans he hisses when we pick him up 99% of the time. He squirms to get away if we even touch him. I don't see how he could have been the subject of abuse as we are the first to be owned by him. we are gentle and loving to all of your furkids. I keep trying, i handle/touch him trying to get him used to it. so far no luck. he plays and gets along with the others wonderful, he plays by him self as well, he is healthy and happy unless we are "interfering". I don't know what to do. Just leave him be and hope & pray he comes out of it with age? Does anybody have any idea's? i feel like he hates me/us. It's an awful feeling let me tell ya, it breaks my heart. Teddy & Harley are not cuddlers yet i assume because they are young and would much rather be playing, we play with them as much as they want. they will come to us especially Harley when they want us, she loves to nip at the top of my feet when she wants my slippers. she's my spit fire full of it and a hellion to boot. she's so funny and into everything that's my girl! Teddy loves to play he pounces on the others to play and is mild mannered he's a great little guy. Max as i said will play with the others and him self he's mild mannered as well and is still a great little guy, he just don't like us. the other issue i have is with Max as well this guy will NOT litter train arghhhhhhh and in doing so he has Teddy & Harley doing the same. I thought it was just teddy but now it seems Harley as well wont use the litter box in the cage they use the whole bottom of the cage which is a pull out draw. I did finally get them to stop using the corners of the other level, they never used the top level. I bawled up pillow cases for the corners of the level they was using that stopped them so you would think by putting sheets and such in the bottom around the litter box would stop then, NO WAY will potty right on them. i have tried moving it to a different part of the cage no luck they will still go to the bottom of the cage and use that. I tried blocking that off with the litter pan elsewhere, ya right! I cant find a way to keep them out of there, im not so sure that would work anyway. Max is rubbing off on the other 2 as far as pottying. I don't know what to do. i cant seem to reward Max in anyway because he don't like anything (treats) we have had Max about 6 weeks the others were fully trained in about 3-4 days. so you can see Max has been so different. this is my first time being owned by ferrets and i love every minute of it, they are just wonderful! Im going to try another litter this weekend as well. They do have a lot of playtime outside the cage from 3 + hours a day. the cage is open and we are ferret proofed they are restricted to the kitchen and living room which still gives them plenty of free space. they go in and out as they please unless im not in the room then the cage is closed they don't care to sleep anywhere but their wire home. so as you can see im stumped by Max my little buddy.....i just don't know what to do about him he is loved and treated just the same as the others, the best that he will allow. Im home with them all day everyday except once a week i might get out to go to the store & DR's. so i cant figure this out, i ask please for your help and please no flames. I feel bad enough as it is. I have one more question, I read in the ferret FAQ that people with a low immune system and pregnant woman shouldn't handle the ferret poop. I have a very low immune system as to being sick for the last 3 1/2 years thanks to a DR's screw up.. but anyway, for the last 2 months i have been running a fever and sever all over body pain major fatigue and so on. the only change we have has is the ferrets. we started with Harley in the beginning of March. not long after that i came down with this new sickness stuff. I wondered if it could have to do with that, but i don't understand why if it could be possible... IM not pregnant, nor am i allergic to them. i have no allergies except to latex. It's a long shot and i hope and pray it isn't due to the poop scooping as im the only one that does it. I will NOT give up my fuzzy buddies no matter what. I just wondered if anybody knew more on this matter of the low immune and feces handling. sorry this is so long but i tried to cover everything at once. ~~~Cathy Jo, Miloe, Sabrina, Harley Ann & Teddy Bear & Max Join FurKids Our Pet Lovers Mailing List.... just click here http://www.egroups.com/group/FurKids ICQ 44666258 AOL/AIM LVLOTION [Posted in FML issue 3055]