I'll also be dropping a note to the FML tonight, but wanted to ask the three vets whose addresses I could find to please feel free to call me tonight or tomorrow (2-24/2-25) collect with advice, etc. Coco is sick. He shares a cage with two other ferrets. They have access to food (1/2 Marshall Farms, 1/2 Iams kitten) and water freely. They have not been out of the cage all day (I've been gone, but usually have 3-8 hours free roam of 3/4 the house: not the kitchen, laundry room or bathroom. This evening when I got home, Coco wasn't as active as the other two, lethargic and sits on the top level and is staring into space. I picked him up...no "masses" in the abdomen, and I offered him Ferretone on the belly which he took, and cold water which he didn't, and he feels quite warm, and his fur is kind of.....oily and matted? Just a slight thing, like when an animal is sick and their fur just isn't fluffy, you know? I unforutnately don't have another cage to isolate him. The litter box this afternoon had the usual poops in it, and one lighter brown, somewhat more runny (but not really watery) poop without any blood/discoloration or lumps/masses. I don't know for sure if it is Coco's or not. My usual ferret vet is out of town until Monday morning at a conference. They are good with ferrets, though. I don't know any other ferret vet in my area...which is about twenty miles outside of Toledo Ohio. Can I safely wait unitl Monday morning if he doesn't get obviously worse? Are there any recomendations for ferret vets in the Toledo area? What signs should I look for for him getting worse? Vets, please feel free to call me tonight or tomorrow collect, (or just write email, though I won't be online again tonight) at 419.354.8602 if you feel Coco needs attention before Monday when I can get ahold of the vet here that usually sees them. Thanks a lot! Laurel, a worried pet person. _________________________________________________________ ** "You don't like those ideas? I got others..." --Marshal McLuhan ** Laurel Gilbert [log in to unmask] American Culture Studies, BGSU, Ohio http://www.bgsu.edu/~lgilber/ [Posted in FML issue 1488]