Long time readers might remember the story about Maxim talking to me while Sonya and I were on the phone. Sonya was so tickled to hear Maxim talk in complete sentences. Maxim came to us 2 years ago at the age of 5 1/2 from a dog/cat shelter. He had recently been moved into the cat room and came down with an upper respiratory ailment. We had quite a time of it trying to get him well. As soon as he was well enough he had his huge spleen removed and had done well to recently. Maxim loved our vet so sometimes when we had vet visits we'd take him along so he could see Larry. Four weeks ago Maxim came down with something, maybe the flu, fever, severe nausea but no vomiting, diarrhea. Vet visit didn't give any clues as to what was going on. Maxim was on meds in case it was bacterial or an ulcer and pred for his insulinoma. Maxim was also adrenal. Last evening his breathing was very rapid and he didn't want to be with me. I knew. At 10:30 p.m. placed him in his room on a clean soft quilt and checked on him several times before bed. Maxim died sometime between 11:30 and 3:00.... Anya and her companion Culla came to live with us several years ago when their people were having a human baby and had gotten a puppy. The ferret room was to be the babies room so the ferrets.... Even though we took it slow the move was devastating to both. Both were very reserved. Culla melded into the group but Anya didn't. Others would try to make friends but to no avail. Sometimes I'd find someone sleeping on top of her and she'd peek out at me with a definite look of resentment. Anya would eat her special recipe (she ate kibble too) from a syringe each evening and morning. That was our special time together. She wasn't a cuddler and when she was finished eating off she'd go. Last year Culla died. Two nights ago Anya joined him. In memory of Maxim and Anya, please hug your little ones and tell them how much you care. hugs to all. tle Troy Lynn Eckart Ferret Family Services http://www-personal.ksu.edu/~sprite/ffs.html http://www.geocities.com/Petsburgh/Haven/5481/ Please sign up to support our charity http://www.iGive.com/html/ssi.cfm?cid=46&mid=58395 [Posted in FML issue 3730]