Dear fellow FML's This post is a very somber post, AND not about the Katerina. If you are a smoker, listen up. I am a Hospice Mom, working Alicia of Ferretwise. I recently took in a little girl who is a doll. Her name is Reilly Marie. She is delicate and beautiful, and on meds that she licked off of her former owners fingers. . After the usual getting adjusted routine, tired and need sleep, not happy, hide from you, all the above, she still would not eat or take her meds. I purchased her favorite chicken, raisens, cheerios, (though I do not feed them to mine, and will stop after she settles), she wanted nothing. Then, after a few days, I picked her up and I felt her BACKBONE. My heart fell into my shoes. I have been doi ng round the clock care, I work, but the job fell into second place, I spent every minute with her I could. I was desperate, then she started to eat the kibble, but would not take her meds. In fact, she was upset when I picked her up. I emailed Alicia, and wanted to know all about her homelife. In the course of the conversation, Alicia said the lady who had the ferret was a smoker, and in my care, (no smokers) she should thrive. No second hand smoke to contend with. People who know me know I would dance naked in the tulips if it would help the ferret. Okay, I spoke to a friend of mine who smokes, asked her to save the butts, and I have some in my kitchen in a plastic bag. I handled one, left an awful smell on my fingers, I couldn't stand my self, BUT I put the meds on my finger and WOW, she attacked me with gusto. She ate it all. Wanted more, and licked my finger till it was all gone. Get the message - your second hand smoke, and the nicotine that stays on your finger affects your ferrets. Now what am I going to do? I have to wean her off of the habit. If you go by my house and see an ashtray in the driveway with 20 butts burning away, DON'T ASK. The upside to this story is, I can now call that Insurance Man who would not give fire insurance to a non-smoking ferret. I got one, I'm in the loop. Please, Smokers Unite and try to stop your habit. We love you all, we need you all, and if you cannot do it for yourself, do it for your ferrets. I just fell onto this by studying the situation. But, it makes sense. God Bless Marilyn and the non-smoking gang at Ledoux Hospice. [Posted in FML issue 4995]