Louise, PLEASE, NEVER give Aloe vera to a ferret, dog, or cat.

Aloe vera is toxic for them just as it is for dogs and cats, just as
so many other members of the Lily family are. The saponins are very
unsafe for them.

http://www.aspca.org/Pet-care/poison-control/Plants/aloe.aspx
>Clinical Signs:
>Vomiting, depression, diarrhea, anorexia, tremors, change in urine
>color.
>
>If your pet ingested this plant, contact your local veterinarian or
>the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at 888-426-4435.*

Even for humans it can stain urine bright red, but for ferrets it is
far more serious problem at lower levels.

Whenever you are thinking of giving something CHECK BEFOREHAND WITH
YOUR TREATING VET and in
http://www.aspca.org/pet-care/poison-control/

Sukie (not a vet)

Recommended ferret health links:
http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/ferrethealth/
http://ferrethealth.org/archive/
http://www.afip.org/ferrets/index.html
http://www.miamiferret.org/
http://www.ferrethealth.msu.edu/
http://www.ferretcongress.org/
http://www.trifl.org/index.shtml
http://homepage.mac.com/sukie/sukiesferretlinks.html
all ferret topics:
http://listserv.ferretmailinglist.org/archives/ferret-search.html

"All hail the procrastinators for they shall rule the world tomorrow."
(2010, Steve Crandall)
On change for its own sake: "You can go really fast if you just jump
off the cliff." (2010, Steve Crandall)

[Posted in FML 7197]