I have a ferret, Elsa, who is really sick right now. It started when I brought her home from boarding her over winter break. That night I had only her in my room and she started getting loose stools, so I kept her separate. I'm very glad I did that b/c now it's a week and a half later, and she hasn't eaten on her own since Wednesday (a week). She refused all foods and water yesterday (tues) morning. She's taking some now, but I know it's not enough. She ate 6 cc of food and about 3-4 cc of water this morning. I have to give her antibiotics twice daily, by injection. And what's even worse is she's soiling herself, practically all the time. She still uses the litter box, but I guess she can't control herself when she's sleeping? She also "loses" it when I'm trying to feed her. My questions are: 1. she's developing a rash around her genital area, and it looks like it's bordering on bleeding...I put a call in to the vet but I'm not sure if I should take her NOW b/c she's going tomorrow afternoon anyway? 2. any more tricks/hints to feeding unwilling creatures? She's really rejecting pedialyte, she shakes it all over. She's figured out how to get out of a scruff position and wrapping her in a towel doesn't work, and neither does holding her w/my arm. B/c of scheduling conflicts I've had to do all this by myself. Also any attempts to feed her result in an extremely messy bottom for her. Anyway if anyone has any suggestions/thoughts, ever dealt w/this before? I've nursed sick ferrets before, but never one this sick. I do still have three other ferrets that are thankfully quite healthy... Minta [Posted in FML issue 2188]