Risa, I feel your pain. If you have been keeping up with me, I have the little girl who was diagnosed with IBD/IBS (irritable bowel syndrome). Helena, for the most part, has been pretty healthy, but has ALWAYS been a tiny little mite. She on a good day, weighs approximately 1.25 #'s. When she has an "episode" - she goes down hill so fast, you can almost see her weight "melt" off of her. Dehydration is the first thing that happens - and if I don't catch it right away - she gets disoriented. Also, it seems that IBS causes some pretty significant pain for her, when it is in full swing - and she will not eat or drink, without severe prompting... It is during these initial days that when I see it "coming on" , I know what is going to happen, if I don't "force" water and food down her. Now again, if you go back a few days in post, I do "what it takes" to get it in her. When ferrets dehydrate, they tend to become disoriented. The disorientation leads to them not eating - and not drinking even MORE. I found that what works best for Helena, is to "football hold" her - and spend as much time as it takes, to get the water into her. She usually will "lap" it up, if I have it on a small saucer. That way she doesn't have to "lick" (from water bottle), which is difficult for her when dehydr'd, or put her head into a bowl, which confuses her worse it seems. She freaks when her head is "in" something and she can't see everything.... When she was at her absolute worst, and would really fight drinking anything, I added teeny pinch of sugar, to make it taste better - thereby causing her to drink more. This is NOT recommended though, for all fuzzies - and frankly, sugar is not a great thing to add to a sick fuzzie. But when I think of which is worse, her dying because of dehydration, or living with a itsy bitsy pinch of sugar, well I think you all know the choice on that one. I do need to point out, that I know her sugar levels on everything - so again, I only resort to this in a worse case scenario. One time however, even that didn't work - and I had to scruff and force with an eyedropper. She was pretty bad off that day - and I couldn't get it into her any other way. Once re-hydrated however, she is a different fert again - and will eat and drink on her own. Takes her about 12 hours or so - to "bounce back", to her normal self. I hope this helps somewhat, and that your fuzzlet bounces back soon!! Oh - on a final note, thank you ALL for your thoughts, prayers and advice. Ms. Helena has put back on alot of her weight, and is eating like a piglet!!!! Yippie!!! The "concoction" I make for her, she usually only eats half of a serving (remember 2 x 2 container). For the past two days however, she has been pigging out (or ferreting out) - and eating the entire container, PLUS a quarter of another!!! I truely believe we have come around a real sharp corner and she is gonna be ok!! Hugs, dooks and chortles to you all! Kim and Her Army of Idiots Kimberly Gorman IT/Telcom Analyst - CSSC Gap, Inc. [Posted in FML issue 5051]