Hi Linda, Is your ferret a kit? If so this may put your mind at ease.. I have a book about ferrets and it says *Frequently it is possible to pick up a ferret, especially a baby ferret, who has fallen asleep in this manner and shake it, turn it over into various postions, and yell at it without getting any response whatsoever. The animal appears totally limp and lifeless and sometimes the breathing is almost undetectable. The first time you find your kit in such a condition of sound sleep may be very frightening, because aside from having a warm body the ferret certainly appears to be dead.The first time I had such an experience I shook the baby for over a minute to no avail. However, when I put some food underneath his little nose he miraculously "came alive" much to my relief.* Hope that is of some help and relief for you. Kimberly, Elliott & Elise [Posted in FML issue 1273]