A month ago we decided to add a new ferret to our family of 4. He was an albino who had been treated badly for the first year of his life and then had found a new home for 6 months. The new owners felt that he was sad and he didn't move around a lot. Their first reaction was to find a home for him, then when they couldn't find a multiple ferret family they were going to release him in a wood. A friend of mine (from whom we got Luna) let me know. A few days later the ferret (named Baobab) came for a visit. He integrated our group well, but as he wasn't vaccinated he couldn't come to us immediately as we were travelling from Paris, France to near Venice, Italy and the ferrets needed all of their vaccinations. We agreed that on August 12th we'd go to collect him. We decided to name him Casper. I telephoned to arrange a time and that is when the couple told me that he had died on July 29th. It sounds like he got too hot (purple gums). I was so sad as we had been waiting for him to join us for a month and had prepared everything for him. What angers me is that the people that let me know that Casper needed a home promised his owners to let me know that he had died. I never got that telephone call. I feel so sad as I really wanted another albino ferret since my Ruby died from JL in Februaury this year. I refuse to buy a ferret from a pet store and there aren't any ferret shelters in France, but I will wait until another little one needs a home. I'm also very disappointed with our 'friends' who never let us know. Casper's owners were also very angry. Sandee, I know that Casper is already at Rainbow Bridge, but please can you make sure that our little Ruby has met up with him. Please let him know that we are so sorry that we were going away and couldn't take him immediately, and prevent his death. Please let him know that we were so excited about him comming to join our family and that we really miss him. Thank you, Christina and Cyril, Taz, Teddy, Sylvestre, Luna Forever missing our Angel Ruby and now Casper [Posted in FML issue 3874]