Hi Everyone, First off I want to apologize for not sending this sooner, I caught an acute case of bronchitis and its given me a really bad time for what seems like forever. That said, I wish to thank everyone that replied to my posting about the distended (sp?) anus on the baby ferret (what to do? what causes it? cure? etc...) I received about 25 responses and all of them said basically the same thing except for one. Everyone said to basically increase soft food, water intake, and reduce the hard kibble as he was put on it too quickly. And then to watch him very closely as he may need emergency surgery. Luckily that's was all that was needed and it quickly went away (Thank God !!). (Personal to the one person that emailed me just the opposite info; that he needed more hard kibble and less soft food, you may need to re - evaluate your info in case you have this problem arise. This could be fatal to the little one) About the same time I noticed a baby albino at the Petco in west Huntsville, Alabama that was in much worse shape (same thing, distended anus big time, very large, bloody in spots). Luckily the regional Petco person was there at the time (the one over the manager) Fletcher Smith. I got his attention and showed him the ferret and he told one of the employee's him in the back and get it to the vet tomorrow. Well we kept checking (we first saw the little fellow the Tuesday before the start of labor day weekend). Wednesday I called and they said he had been taken to the vet (per one employee). Thursday I called and talked to an employee I knew and was told he hadn't been taken to the vet yet, that he was still in the back. Friday (the start of labor day weekend) we arrived about 3 PM and the poor little fellow still hadn't been taken to the vet but they said he was going that day in just a few min. By this time my wife was so upset I asked them " how bout just sell him to us at half price, we will get him to a vet and take care of all the cost, your "problem" will be gone and off your hands". We were then told it was illegal to sell a sick animal. So that didn't work out either. We went home and got to thinking about it (hmmmm.... 3 pm on a Friday.... long weekend......hmmm) so I called back and talked to a second employee I know in the store and was told, "No, no one's come to take him and doesn't look like anyone is going to today either..." I was very disappointed. By this time it was like 5 PM Friday afternoon and the little fellow had been suffering terribly since the Tuesday before, and probably longer. They said they had just got this "shipment" of ferrets in. Well to make a looooooooong story short, I went by Tuesday after labor day and was told this time he was at the vet (if he was he was probably just taken that morning <sigh>) and was ready to come back. It was Thursday after labor day before we saw him again (Wed he was still "at the vet" , my wife made me go check again). Well we went by on Thursday and low and behold there the little fellow finally was and about two weeks lighter (weightwise) than he should have been. By now you probably already know the rest of the story, The little one is here beside me now eating red licorice (sp?) His name is Oz ( I got to stop taking my wife to Petco - LOL) I will say this about the store, after all that mess they did sell him to us at a reduced price (probably to get rid of us). But I still wonder, how long or would he have even been taken to the vet at all if we hadn't voiced up about his condition and checked on him that often to see? Once again, thanks to all that replied.... Dooks to all :-)) Weezzer & Majyk & the (Now) gang of Five (Peppin, Sheeba, Grendel, Widget, and Oz) [Posted in FML issue 3177]