Dooks to all, Just wanted to give an update on Pheonix, who is getting stronger every day. He really scarfs the chicken gravy and kibble down, and I've read somewhere before that ferrets that go without food or water can tend to be gluttons long after they have been rescued..oh I hope he does get really FAT on this stuff Bob.....the poor guy's been through so much I don't think clogged arteries would be a bad way for him to eventually go...<VBG>. His hind end is getting stronger daily, and now he walks most of the time and just kinda falls over when he gets tired....it's so funny how animals can adapt and these things don't bother them the way a human would be bothered...you can learn a lot from their attitude to life. Oh and he has taken a MAJOR interest in the other kids now, when they are up and about he watches everything they do....I just want to wait till he's stronger before any introductions to keep the usual pecking order fights fair. Whitney, my (once little--thanks AGAIN Bob!) deaf girl is usually the loner, very much people oriented but doesn't really bother with the other kids too often, but today, I noticed her picking the fight with Ralphie...I was SO amazed. She still did her screaming but is was more an offensive scream, like "Come-ere ya little devil...you lost all your baby fat and now I'm bigger than ya an it's time for some whup-ass!!" I wish I had a cam-corder to catch that one...Joe is never gonna believe me when I tell him...Whitty is his "special girl" who NEVER does wrong. About litter boxes....I gave up on using them around the home a looong time ago. Esp. since my cat insisted on using every one-immediately-and then the ferrets wouldn't use them anyway. I just use that plastic carpet runner, cut to fit where they "want" it, and wipe up messes as I go along. This way their area is always clean, because a lot of times they won't go where there is already a pile, and when company comes over I just pick up the plasic sheets and put them in a closet. Reusable, no litter tracked through the house, just the initial cost and many paper towels. I also find this looks a lot neater if your trying to keep your home in some semblance of "designed". Gotta go...Nicholas is jealous and keeps biting my ankle to play with him...or something!! Michele & the designing 8 PS Lissette...I was bawling my EYES out at the poem you wrote for Mary... very well said, thanks for a GOOD cry....... pps-- I almost forgot to post, but as in my subject heading, Pheonix's name has been changed to Finny, because of my sheepish affinity to Irish names for all my fuzzies..if I can help it, and because I loved that movie Finnegan, Begin Again...so it does suit him too. So I'll keep everyone updated on "Finny's" progress, just with a new name! [Posted in FML issue 2811]