Hello again - just more comments Birds of Prey - I keep a window open with access for ferrets all year long. This window is protected by very heavy guage screen & ferrets enjoy the air all year. However, some birds do not appreciate their presence and window gets "dive bombed" from time to time. Blue Jays seem the worst - but crows, mocking birds and others - have perceived the ferrets as threat or possibly dinner. Ferrets react to bird shrieks and usually vacate window fast -- except for all the whole hobs! They become territorial and Shoke and a crow had a go one day until I arrived on scene to see what all the noise was about. Ferret, crow and screen survivied. Carrie - Kodiak does have an odd hair loss pattern - not really consistent with adrenal tumor or hyperplasia - and it sounds like your vet is on top of it. Follow his advice and let him worry about it. He will take care of Kodiak. Remember, this is summer and some hair loss is normal. Also, can take a very long time for fur to grow in after it has been "rubbed down" by something like halter or collar, or shaved for sugery or tests. Treats - Raisins, of course, one or two a day. My ferrets get a snack or meal of chicken, turkey, or even beef and hamburger, once a day. Most of mine like a cat Pounce treat now and again. Also fruit and veggies - in moderation - especially banana, grapes, etc. Some of mine love lettuce. Just recently came across new treat on market made by 8 and 1 - called Fruit and Crunch. Although first ingredient is ground yellow corn, it also contains lots of goodies. Almost all ferrets like this varied mix - again only one or two to a ferret. And, of course, Ferretone, nutrical and Felovite II for vitamins. Tip for introducing new foods - Take new food and place it somewhere that ferret is not expecting to find food. Like arm of chair, corner of bed, on table or other furniture they have access to, or on your dinner plate. Ferret will probably steal it. Yell "Hey" and pursue ferret as if you have serious intent of retrieving the food. Repeat this process a bit. They will generally love this "stolen" food forever. They have convinced you to give it to them. Chris - if your ferrets have not had ECE and you are going to a meeting where there will be exposed ferrets, think I would skip the meeting. No meeting is worth possibly bringing ECE back into your house. Am relatively certain that a two hour drive will not do in this virus. Other alternative is to completely strip off clothing including shoes outside and shower before you get near your ferrets. Best to boil yourself for five minutes just to be sure! I missed judging a show last year when I had a couple of fresh outbreaks of ECE shortly before show. Even if I had followed every sterilization precaution known to mankind - still might have carried it. Better to be safe than sorry. Regarding sleeping with ferrets - have slept with one or more ferrets in bed for over fifteen years. Never hurt one yet. On cold nights, usually have quite a pile cuddled up with their warm human. Kind of neat to have precious warm furry fuzzies sleeping with you. Brooke - Don't think you are seeing a fervac vaccine reaction. Sounds like change in poop color to yellow probably from stress of vet visit or not significant. Sure vets will comment if I am wrong. Cedar Oil Shampoo - not familiar with this shampoo - so don't know if it has fragrance or cedar oil. However, although inhalation poses most of problems, have seen and heard of many skin reactions to cedar oil. Think would skip this. Why use it when so many other nicely scented shampoos available? Also, remember, your ferret can react with skin reaction to any scented shampoo. Dr. Bonner's pure castile peppermint liquid soap is great for fresh scent. Marshall Farms Ferrets - which comprise most of our ferret pets. When I first owned ferrets, many years ago, they were all Marshall Farms. These earlier ferrets were in pet stores at an older age then we see them now. Whether they had a longer "shelf life" or were neuter/descented at a slightly older age, I do not know. And these early MF ferrets all, with exception of one, lived to be very old for ferrets as we know them today. Problems such as adrenal, pancreatic, cancer, etc. seemed to develop much later in life and it was reasonable to expect a life age of 9-12 years. But not any more. Life expectancy has dropped. One only has to read these pages to note all the problems. MF ferrets are developing geriatric problems at earlier and earlier ages. First it seemed to drop to 5-7 years. Then to 4-5 years. Now MF ferrets are developing adrenal problems as early as one year and not at all uncommon to see it by age 2-4. Why? My last MF ferret - rescued as a kit - is four and has already had a benign tumor removed, been through a bout of ulcers, has an enlarged spleen (may be related to ulcers) and has a chronic bowel problem. Lymphatic cancer also seems to be on the increase and with MF ferrets developing it at earlier and earlier ages - cases reported at two to six months. Something is wrong here. Please don't bother to flame on this. Flames won't change the fact that so many, many pet owners are experiencing problems. Not to say that breeder's ferrets won't have problems - but chances of fewer problems are really signficantly better - in my experience. And this is certainly not a slam against MF ferrets, God knows I love mine as much as children. Cheers, Meg [Posted in FML issue 1695]