This past december 24, 2004, I brought over two ferrets from Europe to introduce into my breeding program. Every 3-5 years we bring in new bloodlines that are carefully screened and selected. Well because of the weather changes out here in the U.S., I had to wait until the Airport re-opened to send two from the US to Europe. On March 9, 2005, in agreement with terms set with the breeder in Europe, I sent two breeders to that party. (This is just to give a background, names and specific locations aren't necessary.) Well the two ferrets I got from Europe adjusted well as all the ferrets are housed in doors and where the whole family can seem (in the supposed dinning room area which was converted to the ferret room in 1989). The housing facility for the breeder in Europe is a seperate building from the house which is temperature controlled, water accessible, etc. Just like a mini house. The ferrets over there are given run time outside in playpens, specifically built and dug into the ground more than 6 inches to prevent escape. Also they are supervised periodically to make sure there are no problems. About a week ago, I got an email letting me know that one of the ferrets died suddenly and the other was having a severe reaction and pawing at his mouth. The girl who died was immediately autospied and no notice of any health problems leading to the death. A blood test was done for toxins, nothing showed up. In a panic the other ferret was displaying symptoms much like an allergic reaction. He was pawing at the mouth, convulsions, difficulty breathing, passways looked swollen, etc. Since was a pawing we thought perhaps something eaten. The girl's contents were examined and nothing was in the stomach. So we thought perhaps a bug bite but there was not conclusive evidence that it was a bug bite or rather insect bite (no bite marks or signs). Baffled and worried the boy would not make it, benadryl was given, fluids hooked up and then a seizure. Medicine given and he started to recover. It took a week and he is now able to walk and play. The girl's death was strange and elusive as we discussed any possible means of her death and what it could have been. Upon talking with another breeder, she suggested the environment. After talking with the breeder in Europe in what seemed like a hundred emails written back and forth, it was confirmed, she lives in a farm area of which they crop dust. Her ferrets having been born and raised to the environment and brought outside to play were exposed and built an immunity to the crop dusting and many other environmental changes. The ferrets from here in the U.S. that went to Europe have never been outside other than going to a show, the vet, etc., never free roam outside (I am too paranoid about bugs). So they did not have an immunity to the environment. Things happen that are out of your control and perhaps it was a fluke that the little girl died, maybe being that she was smaller, the crop dusting was too much for her. I am not a medical expert. And of course, not being there, it's difficult to know how long she was outside in playtime and what other factors played into her death. But the moral is too just be wary and if you are looking to move out of the country or to a different part of your country, environmental changes could have an impact on your ferret. Please visit our sites: www.freewebs.com/dlightfulferrets/ [Posted in FML issue 5045]