Thank you to all the people that had written me with their ideas and for being so helpful. Improvment is at hand! The little NC ferret owned by my brother-in-law is getting better treatment now. He really didn't know anything about taking care of ferrets, in fact his first one was kept outside in nothing more than a wire cage in 1987. He gave that ferret to me then and I did the same (PLEASE NO FLAMES I didn't know any better than he did at THAT time!) Strangely on a diet of grocery store cat food the ferret lived to be around 7 years old (or more). Anyway, to put everyone at rest I sent him some general info on the care of ferrets, I "dripped" it to him a bit at a time and the ferret is getting better care. See? Us "youngsters" can be taught! I'm sending him some ferret toys and sleep sacks. He still keeps her in his garage (takes her out to play a lot now and has a better diet) so I was wondering if there was a kind of heater I can buy for the ferret? I know if I send him one he won't refuse to use it. C'mon, he isn't THAT mean. Now for some other news now that that ferret is taken care of... Want to see something really CUTE?!?!?! http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Estates/3308/index.html Load this page and scroll down to the bottom, it's my first animated gif of a ferret angel/devil!! Thank you all for your wonderful ideas, informing him was the best one, he was very open to it and he really did want to care for and keep the ferret. Kathy Smith (YEY!) Sosha (I'm the devil one!!) [Posted in FML issue 2212]