Well i've been following the FML for a couple of weeks now and have decided to finally say hi.... HI! I have two ferrets named Pandora (female) and Beowulf (male) and they say HI also. These two kids of mine have brought me nothing but joy in the 19 months I've had them. One of the reasons i got them when i did is because they were born on the same day as me, March 16th. I thought that was kinda special =) I have a couple of questions so please bear with me and my fuzzies.... 1) about 1 month ago Pandora started losing hair on her tail and her skin turned a rather deep shade of blue, only on her tail. I took her to our vet and the vet was totally puzzeled. She took a skin sample and ran some test, came back and said she was normal and probably just bruised it. Thank god that within another week her tail returned to normal. Has anyone ever come across this problem? 2) It looks like Beowulf is starting to get the same thing now. His hair on his tail is getting sparse, although it has slowed down in the past 2 days and his skin isnt' blue. BUT there is a bump on the end of his tail, looks sorta like a big pimple! 3) I have a problem cleaning their ears. I'm completely scared that I might hurt them or something. I'm always pay'n my vet to do that and its starting to get costly! Any suggestions? 4)Whenever I need to find my fuzzies I usually squeak one of their 'squeak' toys and they always come running but when Pandora gets to the toy she immediatly starts "talking" to it. A sorta clucking sound. If she gets any toys to herself she always trys to chew the squeak part of it out. Is it possible that the squeak is hurting her ears or is she responding in a mothering way thinking that it is a younger fuzzie? BTW both fuzzies are fixed and desented. Also, just recently went out to Home Depot and bought some 12ft long 2" sewage pipe and some elbow connectors. Cut the pipe into various lengths, connected in a random way around the kids room, AND BOY DID THEY GO AT IT! They must have thought it was the best invention since Ferretone!!! :) Sorry if this letter sounded random, I am totally excited about finding some fellow Ferretites!!!! BTW i am in Lewisville which is in the Dallas/Ft.Worth area. If anyone wants to drop me a email please do so at [log in to unmask] bye and hugs to all the fuzzies out there!!!!!!! Mike Pandora & Beowulf [Posted in FML issue 1336]