Hello all! We're new to the mailing list and want to introduce ourselves. We're Cynthia and George, and we are currently owned by only one "ret," as we like to call them. His name is Chumley, better know to us as Chum-Chum Rod-ri-gu-eez, compliments of WKRP. Chum had a brother, Otto, until last week. Otto was a terrific ferret, just over three years old. Last Thurs. he went in for adrenal surgery - everything went great and he was doing well (it was the left adrenal only). However, late that night his little heart went out, and we lost him a bit after 12 a.m. We think now that he had heart disease, but have decided against an autopsy to let him rest. Needless to say, it hasn't been an easy week. Anyway, Chum is obviously pretty depressed at the loss of his buddy, and hasn't been eating much. Mon. he started sneezing/coughing/wheezing, and started having the runs. He went to the vet today (very traumatic) and was diagnosed with... a cold. His little sneezes are so hard they have a bit of bloody water in them, but the vet said that's ok given how hard he's sneezing. Unfortunately, he's not eating or drinking on his own. Right now we're hand-feeding a mix of A/D canned food and dry ferret food, and that is going over pretty well. At the vet's suggestion, we're heading out tonight for some kiddie Benadryl to help the sneezes, and will probably pick up some Ensure and Pedialyte for Duck Soup. Any other suggestions on how to help a 'ret get through a cold would be appreciated. (When it's me, it usually means getting drugged up and going to work. Like my dad says, "Why be miserable on a day off when you can be miserable at work?") Also, the vet gave us amoxicillian incase it's bacterial, not viral. He HATES the stuff, and she couldn't believe it. Anyone else have problems getting a 'ret to take that? Any ideas for making it taste different? Apparently Chum isn't into bubble gum. A couple of suggestions we have for discussions that have been going on: Chumley and Otto decided that my couch, which was a gift from my parents and is my baby, was a neat place to be. One hole on the underside, and it had to come down off its feet. But a woman at a shelter up here suggested buying cheap linoleum and a staple gun, and stapling it to the bottom side of the couch. This would probably work for box springs too. (Glad to hear we're not the only ones with that issue.) Chum's gotten in through the top fo the couch, tho, so I think we're just going to have to do some heavy duty rag stuffing. To keep him from digging at the knit-type fabric, a stern no and quick removal seem to get the point *somewhat* across. For biting, George used the same approach with both of our 'rets. When they were kits and tried to bite, he would gently move his finger to the back of their mouth so they had a slight gag reflex. It only took a dozen or so times, and all nipping ended. Some people might not approve of this method, but it worked quickly and well, and it's held. Neither ferret EVER bites/bit. We're glad to be on the FML - we're learning a lot already! Cynthia and George Chumley: "Ahhh... ahhh... ahhh... CHOOOO!!!" [log in to unmask] [Posted in FML issue 2413]