Just read the story of the heavy sleeping ferret. I think many of us have had heavy sleepers who gave us a scare, even when we knew better. Jonathan (my SP (Sweetie-Pie because I think it was Paw-Paw that said SO was so impersonal)) and I bought two ferrets for one of our best friends. We were sneaking up to her apartment to surprise her when Jonathan asked if I thought the male was okay. I picked Gambit up and his head kind of rolled around. I giggled, having experience with very sleepy ferrets. "Look it's DEAD!" I said, and shook him slightly towards my husband who was quite appalled at me. "Anna, that's sick! What happened to him! He was fine a few minutes ago!" "Oh he's just sleeping," I told him in my most knowledgable voice. "Beauregard did this all the time." I shook Gambit a little again and his head rollllled to the other side, his tongue hanging out slightly. I blew lightly in his ear. No response. I pinched his nose. No response. I shook him again a little more forcefully. No response. I ruffed up the fur on his back in quick motions. No response. At this point I was about to hurl my lunch as I realized I was playing around with a dead kit. Just when I was about to admit that something was wrong, Gambit opened his sleepy eyes and yawned. Go figure. Enjoy them while they sleep. It's the only time you get peace! Anna [Posted in FML issue 1861]