Dear concerned shelter operator. I am a bit behind in reading the FML but I did want to respond to your post concerning adrenals and being a bad shelter operator. In my opinion you are the best thing that happened to these creatures in your shelter. I think that you show love and concern for your charges and even though they may not be getting the needed surgery they are still better off then they ever were. They are fortunate to have you as their care-giver. I also think that if you can get foster parents for these guys, whether or not they, or you, can supply the surgery, you are still giving better care then they ever had before. I suppose I sympathize (or should I say empathize) with you because I find that we are in a similar predicament and I understand where you are coming from. We are a semi shelter (long story) and we have one now that has adrenal problems and we went through the surgery question. Nikki is over 5 years old and last year at this time she began to lose her fur at the base of her tail and by Spring she was almost all bald. Her vulva was swollen for a time but then we put the ferrets in a room that was well lit with florescent lights (long story again). When we moved at the end of August, the ferrets were put in a room with a fair bit of natural lighting and her fur started growing back. It was at that time that we tapped into Dayna Frazier's lighting regime and we have special "growing lights" above her cage. If you want to know more I can send you a copy of her documents. She now has a full coat, ready for winter and she seems fine. She probably still has an adrenal problem but it appears that things have reversed with her. Have you been following this vein on the FML in the last few months? If so, this probably will make more sense. If you want to chat more, please do so. We also have a separate room for them and they take turns being out in groups, several hours at a time. This gives them play room so they don't have to be in their cages all the time. One also has the run of our bedroom, all day. Perhaps this last paragraph digressed a bit but what I mean to say is, if you are doing the best you can with what you have and can afford you are doing more than a lot of people are doing and again I say, these fuzzies are blessed to have you as a friend and caregiver. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise. Take care and God bless you. You are not a bad shelter operator. Tryntje Miller and her husband, dog and gang of 9 fuzzy buts (including Nikki's) [Posted in FML issue 2136]