Dear Anonymous - Oh please DON'T use cedar shavings/chips with your
precious fur-babys (ferrets). When I took my 2 yr old Kira outside for
the very first time when she was about 6 mos. old she was inspecting
all areas of our yard. We have one tree that has a circular wooden
border around it filled with cedar chips. I thought nothing of it when
Kira got in there & started nosing/tunneling through the whole thing,
tossing chips aside with her head/nose. She was in there for about 5-10
minutes. About a half an hour after going back in the house she started
making these hideous raspy noises and appeared to be struggling for
every breath. Of course we came in the house at 5:55 pm, the vet closes
at 6 & by 6:30 as I was frantically attempting to contact them, it was
too late (for that vet, not Kira) I did reach one over an hour away,
with her gasping/wheezing loudly the whole way & me praying for her to
live long enough to get help.

Long story short, she continued to struggle to breathe for about 6
hours, then it just stopped. After going through all events leading up
to the incident with the vet, it was determined that it had been due to
her breathing/snuffling in the cedar chips!! Needless to say during all
subsequent outdoor excursions I have kept her (and the 2 others we now
have) several feet away from that tree & it's border. Never had that
problem w/her breathing again.

I understand the frustration with the insects - we used to have fruit
flies in my work lunchroom & every time someone ate something sweet, or
fruits/veggies they would swarm around you & your meal. UGH!! I am sure
there must be other suggestions for controlling your pest problem, but
I certainly wouldn't use cedar anywhere near your fuzzbutts. Just my
opinion, based on one horrifyingly scary experience.

GOOD LUCK & Dooks to you!

Jacci
Kira, Danny Phantom & Shakespeare
and the second class citizens (aka the cats ha-ha) Tigger, Angel & Ace

[Posted in FML 5545]