I was trying to wait for this until I felt better but its been almost 3 weeks........at least some days are better than others. I helped Loopy across the bridge Monday the 24th. She was diagnosed with insulinoma in December and was on chicken gravy and pretty pets natural gold food and pred 2x a day. She was doing well on the food and hadnt shown any bad signs. I was hand feeding her though because I found she wouldnt eat from the bowl if I just put it in her cage. She would eat liberally from my lap however and that was fine with me. Se had an ulcer in January but we made it through the horrible medications. She had a checkup in March and we skipped her immunizations (for the first time in her life) because the vet felt "that was the least of her worries". About 2 weeks before "the day" she started being finicky with her food. Being not very hungry at a meal never bothered me because she always made it up at the next meal. But she started where I couldnt get her to eat but a few laps at all her meals. I took her back to the vets and we started her on ulcer regimen again. Her appetite still did not pick up and because she wasnt eating her soup I couldnt get her to take her pred (which I mixed in her food). I was very scared because I witnessed late stage effects of Insulinoma in Biggie and it was ugly. He had seizures. They were treated but later he crashed again and was so out of it I could do nothing but have him put to sleep. Anyway, I took Loopy back to the vet and as I had suspected she lost weight. I did not want to force feed her and although we discussed a feeding tube the vet didnt feel it was going to help Loopy. She also had very large lumps in her neck and her front and back legs. So I did what I felt was right and had her put to sleep. I had a necropsy done and wont know total results for a little while. She had a very large tumor inside that the vet tech described as "something I havent seen in a very long time". I am really anxious for the test results. To make things worse Loopy was the last of her "business" and I feel her dying puts the other 7 that much farther from me. I know that makes no damn sense. She was the ferret I had the longest and although she was a MF ferret and thus never had the first baby she was like the mother to them all. She was a sable with a spotted nose and although she was blind and in her later time didnt move around alot she had perfect litter pan manners. She never bit me and was famous for giving kisses. She had a plastic spider squeaky that no matter where she was in the house if I squeezed it she would come and then I would let her bite it one time (while I was holding it) because it was rubber. She loved peanut butter and (before Insulinoma) raisins. I miss her and I miss taking care of her. I also wanted to comment on how much I loved and enjoyed all the comments and responses everyone gave to Victor concerning the "nightmares" of ferret ownership. The passion of the people on this list is astonishing. I was still very raw with Loopy and to see that others feel so strongly as well validates why I do this. My heart gets trampled but then I am revived with the joy they bring me. I am obsessed. Hi! My name is Rita and I'm a ferret addict. Rita B. Loopy joins Nomad, Scooter, Odie, Snow, Bootsie, Vada, Sassy, Teddy, Rose and Biggie. Leaves behind to carry on: Wolfgang, Chewbacca, Dixie, Hobart, and Edward Scissorhands. [Posted in FML issue 4536]