>From: Hugo & Julie <[log in to unmask]> >Subject: New addition to the family ! >But each time our little friend picks up a magazine and starts doing his >thing (like someone on that list (or in the faq) once put it), well >actually it's when he's finished, he always has 5 or 6 grain of litter >stuck to his anus. I'm wondering if that's normal and if he'll start >taking those off on his own 'cause I tell you he sure doesn't like me >getting them off of there !!! (I would'nt like it either...). >Also his anus is red almost to the point that I thought he was bleeding. Normally litter will not stick to the anus, but the way you talked about his anus being very red, it makes me think it may be prolapsed. Prolapses are when the ferret is straining to deficate and the ferret strains so much that the insides of the ferret are acutally pushed out. Ferrets do not have an anus that sticks out, so if his is, then it is prolapsed. Litter will often stick to the anus in a prolapse case. Picking it off causes much pain, but it must be done! Do it gently & you may want to dampen the area prior to picking the litter off. Put some Preperation-H cream on it & rub it in. It may not feel real good at first, but it does wonders and will usually help shrink the prolapse. One real good reason young kits prolapse is lack of fluids. Seeing as your little boy is about 8 weeks, he is probably not getting enough liquids. My kits are still eating a mush at this age along with nursing from mom and munching on some hard kibble from mom's bowl (of course mom helps eat up the mush food, too!). I suggest taking his kibbled food and wetting it down so he can have the choice to eat that and the hard kibble. The mush foods will give him some extra fluids. You may want to add some Nutrical or ferretvite (maybe a 1/2 inch) to the mush food for just a little extra umph! and to encourage him to eat it. If the prolapse doesn't clear up after a week or gets worse, take him to a ferret knowledgeable vet. More about prolapsed rectums are found in Pam's Ferret FAQ at http://www.ferretcentral.org or from this list server - BIG what is that request again? Send ferret FAQ? [SEND ANSWERS PACKAGE] >Yet another question. Diablo is quite vocal when he wants out of the cage >or when he wants to be picked up (he loves to fall asleep in our arms) or >when I have to do the unpleasant thing of cleaning his behind. Is this >normal ? Kits often are vocal about wanting out. Kits are not too used to being alone and at 8 weeks, he will get lonely. Just remember that you may teach him that whining is the way to get out, so don't take him out everytime he cries (very hard not to do!). His crying from picking the litter off of his anus is from pain, tho. >From: Elliott Shake <[log in to unmask]> >Subject: Vaccines? Soaked Food? >I need to know exactly what type of vaccination is best for fuzzies. I >know that Fervac causes a reaction in some ferrets, so I'd kinda like to >steer away from that one. Is Galaxy-D OK? Reactions are not restricted to one brand of vaccine. Both Galaxy-D & Fervac-D are fine. Fervac-D is the ONLY vaccine approved by the USDA. Amy Flemming Flemming Farms [log in to unmask] http://www.geocities.com/heartland/ranch/9521 [Posted in FML issue 2483]