I'm very sad to say that Miss Sparkles was put to sleep today. This is our first ferret to die, though we've had plenty of dogs do so. She crashed again last night. Each day she was eating less and less. Last night I noticed when I was cradling her that she was making just the slightest bit of noise that could be considered a whimper. We had her hammock hanging to within an inch of the cage floor. This morning she got out of the hammock to use the litter box and she couldn't climb the inch to get back in the hammock. It broke my heart. The vet's office didn't open til noon, so I went ahead and took her to the office with me. She got to go outside and play in the crab grass one more time. She mustered up some energy to play and I am so glad. We only had the little girl for three months - how can there be this much pain?!! Well, at least we know her last three months were great. She loved to take tubes of things and hide them under my dresser. That was her greatest thrill in life until I introduced her to the crab grass at the office. So, I hope our little just over 1/2 lb. sable ferret is welcomed at the Rainbow Bridge and that they have plenty of tall soft grass for her to play in and little tubes to hide. Debbie Whorley [Posted in FML issue 4799]