It has been a few weeks, since I posted about our new Templeton and the resident troublemakers. Between weasel chores and playtime, along with life in general, I don't always get around to the social side of living. It would probably be more simple for me to give updates in the form of a list, so here goes. Out playing by day: Rhys, Ayla, Codo, Mandie, Winter Out playing by night: Holly, Charlie, Winter, and Templeton Rhys Rhys is doing well on the deslorelin and melatonin-laced Furo-Tone, but I am worried about getting more deslorelin. It has now been one year, since he was diagnosed with adrenal cancer. On Monday, Rhys had the best time chasing leaves, which the wind was scooting across the yard, while on a walk. Rhys still can't stand Templeton; I mean, he REALLY can't stand him! Ayla Because we suspect she has adrenal, Ayla is getting a small dose of melatonin-laced Furo-Tone every morning. I haven't noticed her thin coat getting any thicker, since the medication began, but melatonin can often take a couple of months to show results. As for her issue of having hard stools, the morning Furo-Tone helps to soften things. Except for her Codo, Ayla is probably going to stay a loner. She just doesn't believe in playing, unless it is with a fishing pole. Everyone else tends to leave her alone, unless it is time for a pile of snoozing weasels to form. Codo Codo is another with one year of adrenal cancer under his belt, thanks to deslorelin and melatonin-laced Furo-Tone (though more due to the melatonin, since the deslorelin quit back in June after four months). The poor fellow still has severe nerve damage in three of his legs from being stepped-on by his previous owners, but he is still getting around on his own, for which we are very thankful. Codo's new trick is to potty on command. Yes, you read that right. Codo hates pottying on the newspaper when out of the cage. His shaky balance means that he needs good traction to walk. Newspaper is too smooth for him to walk on, without often falling in his or someone else's mess. This situation is not healthy for my carpet. I can't just put a litter box down for him, because Codo can't back-up to potty. My solution for the morning just-woke-up-and-have-to-go-now deposit by Codo was to place him on the paper, say "Potty, Codo", and hold him steady as soon as he starts to go. It is working rather well. The carpet is saved at least one dose of Codo per day (and since he can only produce diarrhea, getting on the paper is a very, very good thing). Mandie Mandie has gone back to nipping humans, since Templeton moved in. It is a jealousy issue. I'm trying to spend more time with her and the others, to insure them of my love and devotion. Mandie has now learned the trick of dangling from one finger by her "hands" and is much more consistent at it than Rhys. Mandie has put up a fuss about going for walks this fall, because she is terrified of the noise the strong wind makes up here on Lake Erie. I always carry a hoodie on walks, wrapping it around my waist, if it is a warm day. Mandie loves the security of the hood, so she climbed up my leg and into the hood of the hoodie tied around my waist on Monday's walk. It looked like I had a ferret bustle! I want to get an updated pict of Mandie on the website, because her kit coloring has changed so much. Her legs are almost black. Her tail is just a shade darker than blonde. There is only a sprinkle of color over her hips and shoulders. She looks like someone didn't finish coloring in the white ferret to look like a ferret! Winter Gentle Winter is still running with both the day and night play-groups. He is busily trying to teach Templeton, who hasn't seen another ferret since being a kit in the pet store, how to play without making your friend squeak allot. Now that Templeton has picked up Holly's toy obsession, Winter is even more confused about why inanimate objects are supposed to be interesting. Holly Unless fast asleep, Holly now comes to her name! She isn't absolutely thrilled with Templeton's company anymore, because he tends to be a bit rough, but she is being much more tolerant than she is with any other ferret misbehaving. Her current project is to destroy the crocheted toys Mom sent. Mom is busily trying out ways to crochet ferret toys, and Holly gets all the trial patterns to play with. Her current favorite to not destroy is a dbanana; she is working on demolishing the eggs and cluster of grapes. I'm still trying to figure out where the apple and carrot went. Charlie Like Holly, Charlie is now responding to his name, if less consistent about it. To keep this little blind fellow busy, I sprinkle kibble around the ferret room. Since Charlie can sniff out a treat from a mile away and is very food-driven, he makes a great kibble vacuum! Templeton Templeton fit in with the night group very well at first, but now, he is showing some unwarranted aggression. Only time will tell whether this is a simple behavioral issue or a sign of adrenal (His tail fur and fur over his hips is rather thin, but that could be from malnutrition.). Templeton has picked up on Holly's love for toys, but, rather than stashing them, he grabs them and shakes the life out of them. Toy soccer is also a fun game to Templeton; multiple players welcome, but not required. Templeton is still gaining weight, and, after one month, he looks like a healthy ferret. However, I can't find any treat that he wants, so motivating him to put up with nail clipping or correcting behavior by treats is very difficult to impossible. That's the entire weasel hoard of eight. They are all in acceptable to great health, which is a blessing to the heart and wallet. Still, I've got to find some deslorelin for Rhys soon and the money with which to purchase the implant. I really wish vets would mail spare doses of deslorelin to each other. Mom is doing great overall. She's been trying out ferret crocheted toy ideas and sending the results here to be "tested". She also made me some custom hammocks for my huge Super Pet Kingdom cage, which is 32"x32"x60". I just can't ever find manufactured hammocks to fit a cage that long and wide. Mom made some wonderful pocket and reversible hammocks patterned with wolves and with wide nylon straps. The nylon straps are something she is trying, to see if the extra stitching necessary to secure them will not take away from the beauty of the bedding (which it doesn't). I'm so glad she wanted to start a ferret bedding business, because what she's sent me has lasted longer than traditional manufactured bedding. As for me, I've had some uncomfortable health news this month. The cornea transplant I had one year ago is now being rejected. What little vision I do have is slowly going. A new cornea would be the solution, if my eye had fully recovered from the last surgery, but it has not. The eye should be filled with a certain amount of fluid to create a certain level of pressure. My eye in question has not held an appropriate amount of fluid, since the most recent cornea transplant. The eye is "sick", according to the doctor that did an ultrasound on it Oct. 1, 2010. Having too many surgeries on one part of the body will make that part of the body very slow or unable to heal over time. That was my fifth cornea transplant in that eye, and my 48th eye surgery overall. As for the other eye, it can only see light peripherally on a very good day. I'm afraid of the dark. For more updates and info, visit us at ferretsatheart.com. With respect, Lori of Ferrets at Heart http://ferretsatheart.com/ Our eBay auctions with seriously slashed prices run through the afternoon of Oct. 17 at: http://shop.ebay.com/ferrets-at-heart/m.html [Posted in FML 6851]