Bud was a rescue. Got him from Carol McCraig's shelter at Va beach. Didn't need or want another ferret at the time, but Carol kept saying I need another, and Bud had been to 5 other families coming back where no one wanted him, so I took him. Such a good boy, so glad to have had him here. Bud started to have rear end balance problems. Seemed to go away but came back. Then his two hind legs got totally straight and stiff, totally stiff. He couldn't walk! He saw me and came running by pulling himself along with his front legs dragging his butt, literally, over to me. I held him and massaged the legs till the got flexible but they stiffened right away. Massaged again and again till the stiffness went out. Bud was not well. Steadily got worse. Took him to a vet who x-ray'd him and found nothing. Later tests showed he had insulonoma. By that time over a couple days Bud was in real trouble. I was hand feeding him duck soup several times a day and he ate ravenously. I had a box that I cut a little round hole in and put a towel in there for him to sleep in. He loved that where he could not climb in the cage anymore. Could always find him there, reach in and give him a reassuring pet or two. Got home from last night, got Bud out from his hidy hole under the chair and fed some duck soup to him. He ate well but not as ravenously as before. He had been eating kibble so guessed he wasn't all that hungry. Got up this morning and worked on my lunch for work today, got the duck soup out of the kitchen and warmed it in the microwave. Went looking for the bug, he wasn't in his hidy holes. Looked out on the porch and found him curled up beside the blanket next to the wall, picked him up and he was gone, stiff. Lost him. At least he had a good home where he was loved and well cared for. And when he got sick he got the best of care, hand feeding, and more love. Bud knew he was wanted, loved, and I was close friend to him that meant no harm. I am crying .. sobbing.. is sad to loose a loved pet, but as in all things, dust to dust, ashes to ashes. Was his turn. Such a good boy he was, never ever offered to bite, always fun, and got along with everyone. God rest his soul. Gordon, Byte-me, Nibble-ed and Kodo [Posted in FML issue 3794]