Hi all - I definantly enjoy this mailing list and am thankful to the one that pointed me in this direction. I'm a new ferret owner, though a roomate of mine had several in the past. I noticed today that Lena has blue irises. Is this common in ferrets? Does a certian coat color make this happen? Also, I believe she is deaf, hard of hearing or just suffering from selective hearing. Some examples: I can be in the room her cage is in moving books and furnature and she doesnt stir at all. She sleeps away in her towel. Once, when she was loose I turned on the carpet steam cleaner. She ran up to it in a curious fashion and then went off to play. I ended up in the room she was in and she didnt even turn to greet me until I was maybe three feet away from her and I think that could have been due to the vibrations it makes on the floor. She wasnt alarmed at all - she is a little warrior! She was a free range ferret before I took her in and I am working on that here. She is pretty good, but I am learning to ferret proof the house - fast! She went under the 'fridge and couldnt get out. I had to take the grate off the front to help her escape. When she came out she wasnt the wite-ish she normally is, instead she was a beautiful dusty gray! I'm having a hard time finding a ferret forum, so I created one of my own. While it is basically dead I'm posting questions as I think of them either for future reference, so I can post them to forums I find, or in the hopes someone will join and answer. While I'm not trying to solicite it, here's the URL: http://mustelidferret.proboards26.com/index.cgi in case you want to stop by - if this is inappropriate to post in this mailing list I apologize and it can be removed if you see it fit. [It's totally appropriate! BIG] Another topic I wanted to touch was "heroic measures" some owners go to to help a beloved furkid. Each animal is an individual, and each needs to be treated accordingly, with love respect and their best interest in mind. Not all illnesses happen at once and a timeframe often plays an important part in decisions made. Everything must be weighed, of course, but through love, dedication and determination things can be worked through and quality of life can be maintained. I do applaud anyone that goes the extra mile to make an animal comfortable. I also applaud those that make the decision to let an animal go when the time is right. Both of these go hand in hand, and it is a sign of a stong person to know how to balance the two measures. As for fleas, general medications, diets and so forth, are there any holistic avenues to go through for a ferret keeper? As I learn more about these fine creatures I wonder what all is available. I have worked in rescue and shelters for 11 years and I foster an assortment of animals ranging from mill rescues to injured, abused and ill animals, Many times I have found that holistic treatments, BARF diets and going that "extra mile" can drastically alter an animals life for the better through effort and dedication that may be time consuming at times, but a bit easier on the pocketbook. While I NEVER skimp on an animals vetting or medications needed I often find help from less than average (well known) methods. On the subject of diet - what is your ferrets feeding schedule, normal intake and diet of choice? I read of many different options, recomendations, warnings and suggestions. While I read that cat foods are not good for ferrets I read that certian ones are great for them. In the time ferrets have been pets has noone come across a proper ferret formula, or have I missed information in my readings? I'm sure I'll have more to add, as I tend to ramble and go astray at times, but I think this posting is quite long enough for now. Thank you all for reading. Jessica [Posted in FML issue 4391]