Tony wrote >I am quite sure that there must be some thing totally wrong with ferrets >in the USA as none of my ferrets over the past 30 have had any problems >with fur ball or the need for the use of ferret laxatives. To my knowledge I also have never had a ferret with a fur ball, that dose not mean only ferrets in the USA get them, I know plenty of people here in Holland who's ferrets have had a fur ball, even people who have always given their ferrets, lax, But as I said, "to my knowledge." It has only been the last 15 years or so that I have asked my vet to do a necropsy if I don't know why my ferret under the age of 10 years old died Tony writes >Please contact me I can be of any help, I am not a vet and in the past >30+ years none of my animals have visited my vet for anything other than >routine check up. Please tell me Tony, how can you possibly know what your ferrets die from if they never visit a vet for anything other than a routine check up. If they have a check up and all is well, then one dies 6 moths later, don't you ever wonder what it died from? Or do you just blame everything on old age? or shrug you'r shoulders and say "thats life" Was the ferret old, or did she have Aplastic Anemia from being in heat too long ,? Was the next ferret old, or did it have a blockage from a fur ball ? How do you know? How you look after your pets is your business. But I don't think you have the right to point fingers and say that there is something wrong with the ferrets in America just because you think there is nothing wrong with yours. Have a heart Tony, People there love their ferrets and take the time and trouble to go to a vet, when they see something is wrong and it's not very nice to point fingers when there is something wrong. As you say, you are not a vet, I have been around ferrets for going on 50 years, But I am still learning, We all are, that is what this list is for, Its fine to ask question, but please do not think you know it all. Stephenie Netherlands [Posted in FML issue 5219]