>Does anyone have any suggestions that might help us. We have never lost >a pet like this before and we are not sure how to make it easier on Beeker. I can relate, we rescued a ferret, male , sable , the owners broke up and left him in the bathroom for 2 weeks with the tub faucet running and a bag of food and turned the light off and closed the door. The neighbor asked us to come have a look as the owner called her to check "The Ferret". When we got there he was hunched up in the corner and was lethargic. He hardly noticed us at first but then he looked up with the most depressed eyes I'd seen . I pick him up and he was limp and stared down at the floor. We took him home and he did watch out the car window as we drove along . When we got him home we named him Newbie. It took many months of reassuring hugging , holding and constant attention especially letting him lay in our arms . He came out of it and then one day he joined the group in mock war , wrestling , chuckling and dancing about. He slept with the group in the pile of fur in the main hammock and never left the group after that. When you looked at him he had found joy again but still had a bit of depression. I don't think you can ever "cure" them but just make them as comfortable as possible and take the time to let them come back to the light. He lived with us for about 4 yrs after that then one day we found that he had passed on in his sleep , we know he was happy as he was found at the bottom of the pile of ferrets, they never knew he died and where still right there .......... hope you're out there romping thru the grass in the big meadow in the sky Newbie ......... All the best Mark [Posted in FML issue 4102]