I know that many of you have seen this post several times, but I think it's important enough for new members here that I repost it. Diarrhea, whether or not it's "Green Slime" or ECE or from stress is VERY serious in ferrets, especially young kits. They just do not have the body mass to undergo diarrhea for any length of time, without the risk of dehydration and death. STADARD DISCLAIMER - I am not a vet, just a shelter owner. In the case of diarrhea, please believe me, it is a potentially deadly condition and YOUR SHOULD SEE YOUR VET RIGHT AWAY. Here at our shelter, at the fist indication of diarrhea we isolate and observe. If it happens a second time, we don't hesitate. 1/2 cc Kaopectate every 4 hours (normal 2 pound ferret), and most importantly water and food. If it isn't drinking copious amounts of water on its own, we use a syringe, between the teeth and lips in the corner of the mouth and DRIBBLE it in slowly so that the ferret laps the water. You don't want it to inhale the water. If it's not eating, immediately we start syringe feeding Duck Soup. Here is the receipe for those who don't have it. (I'd suggest, if you haven't already, print this out and keep it where you can find it in a hurry. One recipe that very often works to stimulate the appetite of a sick ferret is called Duck Soup, named in honor of a ferret named Lucky Duck, for whom the recipe was first concocted. Duck Soup 1/2 cup of high quality, dry kitten food 1/8 cup (approximately - about equal to the volume of one regular ice-cube) of Susticalx or Ensurex (or equivalent liquid, non-dairy food supplement, found in most grocery and drug stores in 8 oz cans. Ferrets seem to like strawberry the best but any flavor except chocolate is fine. Pour the remaining supplement into an ice cube tray and freeze. After it's frozen, the supplement "cubes" will keep for several weeks in a plastic bag in your freezer.) 1 1/2 inch ribbon of Nutricalx/Nutristatx (Nutristat is available at many pet shops. It is a high calorie food supplement used for many animals) Ferretone/Linetone - a "pump" if desired. Place the kitten food in a small bowl. Add sufficient hot water to soften. Mash thoroughly with a fork (or you can use a blender). Add more water as necessary to make a stiff paste. Stir in the Nutrical (Nutristat), Sustical, and Ferretone (Linetone) if desired. The mixture should be the consistency of a thin paste or thick soup. (You can add more water if necessary to make a very thin mixture if you have to force-feed the ferret with an eyedropper or syringe.) Again, remember that you must be careful that the ferret does not inhale the food. If you want, you can add some strained chicken baby food, and use a pedilite solution instead of plain water. Check the temperature before you begin feeding. It should be warm, not hot. You may microwave the mixture if necessary to warm it, but be sure to stir it well and make sure that there are no HOT spots. (I use my finger to stir it. That way I can be sure that there are no hot spots. Feed the ferret all it will eat or that you can make it eat. (This should be about 15 cc, depending on the size of the ferret, at each feeding) Cover and refrigerate any left over mixture. It will keep approximately one day. Microwave to re-warm. Remember to check the temperature of any microwaved portion carefully. Parts of the mixture may feel only warm but other parts may be HOT. Most ferrets will eat Duck Soup eagerly. It's high in fat; has protein from the kitten chow; and vitamins and minerals from the Sustical and Nutrical (Nutristat), plus water. Don't make a steady diet of this after your ferret recovers. Its regular food is best for long term nourishment. Keep giving it plenty of water or pedilite solution. Dehydration comes on very quickly and is deadly in a small animal like a ferret; especially in a kit. With diarrhea you MUST treat it immediately and agressively. Again I want to emphasize, SEE YOUR VET, especially if the diarrhea does not stop within 24 hours. S/he will likely want to put the ferret on Amoxicillin and perhaps Carafate. Dick B. [Posted in FML issue 1460]