Howdy, all. Dooks to everyone out there and condolences to those with sick or lost fuzzies. As I've previously mentioned, I've recently taken in a new 2yo toe biter: Cody. When I got him he had very dry fur/skin (had been bathed 2-3 times per week) but now has the most gorgeous coat. I've never personally had the pleasure of being owned by a true sable fert -- and call it parental pride -- but he is the most GORGEOUS sable I've ever seen... :) He is playful, energetic, and has adjusted well -- to me at least... Cody had not been around other ferrets since he was a kit and the ferret-to-ferret introductions were not quite as successful. I had to decide which of my kids to introduce him to first -- Tripod Bob (the dominator) or Lily (the one who squeals and runs away around other ferrets -- mainly because Bob seems to have always had a personal vendetta against her). For Lily's sanity, I chose Bob (OOOPS). Bob immediately chomped down on Cody's neck and the situation required intervention; Cody now runs if he sees Bob coming toward him and I'm going to wait a while longer to try again (until Cody is 100% comfy with his surroundings). As for Cody and Lily: now I have two ferrets who will hiss/squeal and run away when they accidentally bump noses (which, when you see it the first time, is kind of funny, but I feel so bad for them). The good news: over the past couple of days, Cody has been getting bolder (and Lily tolerating it) and cautiously approaches Lily from behind. As soon as she turns to face him, he will run a short distance away but at least he's trying. If he's (she's?) lucky, he gets right up to her and starts licking -- not biting -- the back of her neck. Last night after play time, I even "caught" them sharing the same hammock. :) The bad news: I'm not sure how long Cody's new friend will be around for him. :( When I got Lily she was the runt of a litter and is still a very small girl. She's now 7 1/2, blind, deaf, and just doesn't have the pep she used to. It just seems like she's winding down; she has been progressively spending less and less time out of the cage exploring. Right now, I'm just giving her all the lovin' I can (and enjoying the kisses I get back). -- Andy, Tripod Bob, Lily, and Cody . . . missing Fossa and Socrates [Posted in FML issue 3057]