To Debbie and any others interested, I knew fully well what I was getting into when I started this shelter. I feel no guilt that the ferret have contracted mites as they are very common and things just plain happen sometimes. The vet specifically said this WAS NOT mange and would be far worse if it were. ALL the ferrets ears have black junk in them and look very nasty so I am assuming ALL have some type of mite or such. And yes this vet would have wanted $17 per ferret, I only took in two of them due to extreme costs the 1st time. I was brand new to dealing with mites and therefore I expected the staff at the vets to have proper knowledge in instructing what is best. Is that too much to expect? On something as simple as mites? I wanted the ferrets to get medication as soon as possible but was willing to wait a day if they had told me that would be best. After all I did ask them this "3" times for heavens sake! This is a vet I just started seeing and of their own volition they told me they really do not know a lot about ferrets or see very many (like 2 or 3 I know of). So would you trust them for more than shots? Also the vet I requested left early that day and no one called to ask if I preferred to reschedule when he was there, which I absolutely would have. MAKE MONEY???? If I had ever thought that I would surely be a fool and my Mommy didn't raise no fools. I knew from day one that I would end up putting all I ever had ( money and my heart) into this as well as still needing help. THANK heavens for the wonderful people that sent donation checks in the past and saved Rockadoodle's life and many other lives at other shelters. I did this because I LOVE FERRETS!! No one else here cared to do something like this for them and so I just jumped in and did it. I am new at this and still learning and still searching for a vet to help that is willing to do possibly more than just a 10% discount and still knows his stuff. We here seem very unfortunate in that there are very nearly no vets here that are up to snuff on ferrets or that seem to want to be. I am trying hard to find one but no luck so far. I am not whining about what I have gotten myself into merely stating the facts of the situations. So worry not that I am in over my head, for indeed I am not. I will continue to learn as each new situation presents itself and I will keep on helping the fuzzys that need it. Hopefully with continued support from others. Thanks for your advice. TNT!! Kelleen & the INSANE Animal House [Posted in FML issue 1554]