Hello, everyone! First, I want to congratulate all fuzzies that found new parents that will love them all their days and the lucky humans they chose! Second, I want to send my condolences and concern for all the parents of sick and lost fuzzies (both kinds). I know how we suffer over these darling creatures. Third, Shiloh and Amadeus had their day in the snow at long last. At first neither of them wanted anything to do w/ it. After I put them down a number of times (after they'd crawled up my pant leg!) Shiloh discovered the joys of playing snow plow. Amadeus, however, persued me relentlessly, and I finally just left him crawl under my shirt and into my sleeve, where he shuddered until I took them both back inside. To warm them quickly I let them hang out on the toweling I placed on the radiator. Within minutes they were warm and dry. Fourth, one day I noticed Amadeus laying flat out on the floor w/o moving. I lay down on the floor to check him out. As soon as I got down he lifted his head. He enjoyed a little petting but soon got up...isn't that just like a ferret? But, to my surprise, he only got as far as my side, where he jumped up on the small of my back and fell asleep. Within a minute or two Shiloh strolled over and collapsed on the floor near my head, using my hand as a pillow. I lay there, enjoying my family for 20-30 minutes... until I got so drowsy I feared I'd fall asleep. So I gently picked them up and placed them in their hammock. Something tells me they played harder than I'd thought that morning! Egad, do I love these little critters! Fifith, Shiloh's birthday was on the 20th. I threw several pieces of ferret treat and yogurt drops on the coffee table and showed them to her (and her brother, of course!) all the while singing happy birthday. The yogurt drops went first, then w/ obvious disappointment they moved on to the healthier treats. By the end of the party Amadeus was moving the leftovers to his hidey hole. Sixth, for those people w/ ant problems... I had problems w/ them congregating around Tess's food and water bowl in the kitchen this summer. If I forgot to pick up her food bowl and put it in the sink right after she ate I found ants in it. Yuck. Now this is going to sound really wierd, but all I did was move the bowls to my studio (where I dining room should be, but I eat in front of the television to drive Amadeus nuts, anyway, so why waste the space?) and the problem stopped! I know w/ caged animals it's a lot more difficult to move food bowls, but maybe move the cage? I know from my readings that ants frequently follow their trails back to food sources. If you move the food to another spot that they haven't been to previously there is a chance that they won't find it. Give it a try, it's certainly cheap enough! In case you are wondering, I only moved Tess's bowls about 10 feet... Pat (lucky mommy) Tess (canine neighborhood welcome wagon and ferret poop eater) Shiloh (what do you mean that birthdays only come once a year? I could really get used to unlimited treats!) Amadeus (well, if you hadn't been greedy and ate all yours at once you'd have some left, too!) [Posted in FML issue 2564]