Hello, I just wanted to say I enjoy reading everyone's cute fuzzy tales. I also have been noticing some very interesting ferret names. Even the telling of illness can be helpful. Although everyone has an opinion and everyone is entitled to share it, not everyone need agree. I refer to the issue of descenting. I am new here, but was amazed that the woman who opened her heart concerning the choice to descent her little loved one. When I was a kid we had two ferrets, a female and a male, that we mated. They were not descented, but were blessed that they didn't feel it necessary to poof a lot. The male was the most gentle critter to the point that when he was in pain with an abscessed foot he still did not bite. His death was so hard on my dad that he will not be a ferret parent again. He enjoys being a ferret grandferret instead. But I digress, I mentioned before that I had three ferrets and am now down to one. All three were/are altered (fixed and descented). I believe it necessary because I have asthma and other allergies - especially to cats, my husband suffers from sinus trouble aggravated by allergies, and I have a five-year-old son who wants not only another ferret, but a human sibling. Sebastian tends to get just as excited as Kalie, the fuzzy, when it is playtime. Poofing in our house could be rough to take. But think of it this way, descenting a ferret is a similar decision as to whether to circumcise a baby boy. It is a very personal decision for personal reasons. Whatever, the outcome is we should not judge and possibly scare away a poster who could have something to offer and share with the FML. As for sad stories, I have one but will not go into details. All I will say is my two fuzzies Rufus and Nisha are at the Bridge and I was forced to decide to help them get there. The exact cause for their quick downslide is not really known as it was a combination of things. One thing is for sure, I believe stress played a very large part of their getting sick. Despite all I did it was not enough. What I guess I am trying to say is just like with people stress is a killer. Keep an eye for it and health complications with the fuzzies. In ferret love, Donelle Whiting and clan. Kalie (Sebastian, I can get out of all your "traps") [Posted in FML issue 1897]