Hi everyone, Thanks a lot for all your input on getting a new friend for Eddie. As soon as I'm sure he's ok from this latest escapade, I'm going to give Donna a call. On to the latest concern: This morning I had just gotten back from a job interview (ironically at a vet clinic), was checking my email when I heard Eddie coughing under the bed. I went to check him out and found him chewing on: a condom. That he got out of the garbage! That I was *positive* he couldn't get into! I saw him chew and swallow something before I got to him, and took away half of it, which was all that appeared to be left. My first thought was "Oh my God, that will never pass, he's going to need surgery." Called my vet right away (after a hefty dose of Laxatone anyway), no ferret vets were there today. Called the emergency clinic, where they seem deliberately clueless about anything that's not a dog or cat. They told me to give him plenty of fiber and double his food intake. Hard to do, since he's already free-fed and eats all he wants, and also they had no answers about how to get fiber into a ferret. They had me call the Animal Poison Control hotline, even though it wasn't really a poisoning case (the condom was non-spermicide). In the middle of the $60 phone call, to my immense relief, I discovered another large piece of condom under the bed, telling me he consumed much less than I originally thought. The operator was glad to hear that, and said to give him canned pumpkin as a tasty fiber source (I feel like I already knew that for other animals, but wasn't sure about ferrets) and just watch him closely for signs of a blockage. He likes the pumpkin ok but doesn't seem that crazy about the texture of it. This happened almost three hours ago and so far so good, he has pooped once but too early for the latex to have made it that far. So far he is just happy as a clam, doesn't seem lethargic at all, no vomiting, so I guess I'll just wait and see. Wish us luck, he's a big healthy boy so hopefully whatever happens he'll come through ok. Also, I've realized that almost nothing embarrasses me anymore. Rachel and Eduardo the Incredible Bonehead p.s. KEEP THAT GARBAGE OUT OF REACH! [Posted in FML 6036]