David,
 
Your ferret's missing toes may be the work of an overzealous or
first time mother. Missing toes, tails, parts of tails and even feet
are somewhat common in ferrets. When jills clean off their newborn
they eat the afterbirth. Sometimes inexperienced mothers get carried
away and inadvertently chew off parts of their babies. Just one of
the reasons its important to be with your jill when she is birthing.
 
Cindy
[Posted in FML issue 1065]