I think it would be interesting to collect all that stuff and put it together. When I first got into ferrets in '85, my vet told me about 6 years was the life expectancy for a ferret. Now, 8 to 10 seems to be what I'm hearing these days. My second ferret, Nikki, who was a lover and a lap ferret, died just before her 2nd birthday; she had a mediastinal tumor that surrounded her esophagus and trachea; it was unoperable. My first ferret, Mickey, died 2 wks after his 7th birthday, shortly after being diagnosed with insulinoma. Even though on Pred and Proglycem, he couldn't stop seizing. We had even started giving glucose fluids subq to try to bring his blood glucose up. Today I have a 7 1/2 yr old w/ insulinoma who is doing ok for now. I have friends who have 8 and 9 year old ferrets, so I think it has to do with more vets having a better understanding, knowing more, and their popularity has generated more ferret-care books, info, clubs, shelters, etc.... Debbie Riccio WNYFLFA [Posted in FML issue 1148]