More about getting the right equipment. We have used the animal meter for years and it has been one of our most important tools here at the shelter. In addition to that let me add the heating pads for animals is so much better than the human heating pads which can over heat and then shut off without you knowing it unless you set a timer or your heating a rice bag in the microwave............the ones for animals do not get hotter than body temperature and stays on for days if you so need it that long. You aren't faced with peeking their temps and then letting them drop. Yes they cost around $80 but after years of using one, saving lives of some really sick sick ferrets, I say it is worth its weight in gold. If that temp gets down very much, you have lost your ferret. We have brought back some we had little to no hope and believe the heating paid, plus feeding every 2 hours through the day and nights and sub'quing every 4 hours did the trick and I will still put my money on the heating pad as all the other was done prior to us getting the pad and the losses were significantly higher then. It's sometimes hard to think its makes that much different till you use them - Like $8 for a human meter or $15 to $20 for a human pad vs over $80 each on the animal units. If you have to scrimp somewhere else, go for these 2 articles if anyway possible. It will pay you back dividends. Millie and her ferrets and Danes www.txferretrescue.org [Posted in FML 6850]