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Post by katt on Jun 9, 2014 22:47:36 GMT -5
ROFL Bev!
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Post by Thérèse on Jun 10, 2014 6:47:58 GMT -5
The idea that Lady Morgain is an S&M ferret just seems so surreal. Maybe she gets into mischief for the punishment?
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Post by Heather on Jun 13, 2014 1:15:41 GMT -5
Unfortunately, timing and distance have made sharing a hob rather difficult. Though I may just take you up on it Nancy if she keeps being a royal pain (headwall) ciao
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Post by Heather on Jun 13, 2014 1:49:38 GMT -5
For the last few days I've been trying to figure out how to post this and trying desperately to avoid looking at these pics of my wee meepers. I'm heartbroken and have to admit throwing in the towel would feel very good right now. You cannot believe the grief and pain as I held my little babies as one after another died in my arms. There is no feeling of being so alone and so far away from help. Thank you Bev for staying with me through this. I cannot for the life of me imagine how someone would attempt breeding without a mentor, even if it's to cry on a shoulder. Even though nothing could be done to stop what had happened once it had started having someone to shed tears with me helped so much. Thank you. I will explain.....the other night I found my largest and most beautiful of my wee ferrets gasping for air and seizing and unable to find or offer any assistance to them. The journey to the vet the next day was a bad dream. The cooler at my side, with the tiny little bodies on a cooler pack, my wee Lady Lola and the 3 remaining kits in their cage. The vet found the same thing that I found, little bodies with distended bellies. Diagnosis....gastroenteritis....caused possibly by meat that was slightly off. It didn't smell off, definitely didn't look off, but for baby ferrets who are not nursing as heavily but who's immune system still isn't fully mature and have a tendency to be little piggies and over eat it creates a possible fatal outcome. Necropsy, showed classic signs of bacterial overload. If they could have vomited their dinner they might have survived. If they hadn't eaten all the food that had been for 7 baby ferrets they might have survived. The 3 survivors are only alive because their siblings were such pigs. A necropsy was done on each of the wee ones, their stomach contents and tissue samples sent to the university to find out what bacteria took them out. It seems so stupid and such a waste. All the other ferrets ate this, only the babies were affected but the next morning none of the adults would touch the pork chops (ferrets will not touch meats that is bacterially contaminated heavier than they can handle, baby ferrets aren't that smart about it ). The 3 remaining little ones are still on a raw diet as prescribed by the vet, but they're not allowed to have any pork or chicken as these two meats are the most contaminated of our grocery store meats. This week they're only allowed to have beef (meat, heart and liver) Once they're 7 weeks old then I can start once again introducing a full raw regime. Goodbye little ones....I'm so sorry ciao
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Post by fretki on Jun 13, 2014 7:00:39 GMT -5
Oh no! I'm so sorry for your loss! Thank you for sharing your breeding experience with all the joy and pain! Sent from my SM-G900F using proboards
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Post by Deleted on Jun 13, 2014 7:35:12 GMT -5
Heather, my thoughts are with you and Lady Lola. You did the best you could for them and now you'll hopefully get to see the three wee kits grow up in their memory.
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Post by Sherry on Jun 13, 2014 8:19:59 GMT -5
OMG Heather no
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Post by Thérèse on Jun 13, 2014 9:18:58 GMT -5
Heather my condolences go out to you and Lady Lola. I cannot even imagine the heartbreak you must be feeling. Am hoping the 3 wee survivors grow into big strong beautiful ferrets to help ease your pain.
and yes breeding is not for the fainthearted...you are a braver and stronger ferrent than I will ever be.
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Post by nancyl on Jun 13, 2014 10:42:48 GMT -5
Oh Heather I'm so very, very sorry.
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Post by gfountain on Jun 13, 2014 11:21:44 GMT -5
Oh Heather, saying I'm sorry seems way too little for this moment. My heart is breaking.
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Post by Deleted on Jun 13, 2014 11:34:11 GMT -5
Oh Heather I am so sorry to hear that. I hope Lady Lola is hanging in there for the other three.
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Post by Heather on Jun 13, 2014 12:40:31 GMT -5
Lady Lola is doing an awesome job and is caring well for the remaining kits. She had started to ease up on her protectiveness but now she's on full guard mode again. I'm not sure I will ever make friends with this little jill again. I'm sure she thinks I'm deliberately killing off her little ones. At the moment I can't handle her at all without being bitten. This was the same thing that happened when she lost Lily. It took almost a year before she'd trust me and now this. Oh, well....we move on. The remaining kits are doing well on their restricted diet. Momma Lola is less happy about it and brought them some decrepit chick that she found in the ferret room. I know it was last nights but still.....she brought it straight to the babies and they went at it like little wolves. I removed it and they were very upset....Lady Lola bit me {sigh} It has to be the first time I've ever been bitten doing a foot sweep. ciao
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Post by unclejoe on Jun 13, 2014 12:41:19 GMT -5
I'm so terribly sorry. I know you knew the risks going in but that is so heartbreaking. All I can do is wish the best for the remaining little ones and for Miss Lola. {{huggss}}
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Post by crazylady on Jun 13, 2014 19:37:46 GMT -5
Heather is doing a fantastic job unfortunately this was out of her control so she has nothing to feel guilty about the three remaining babies are doing well so we have to look on the positive side three are better than zero I have total trust in her and I would trust her with another ten of my babies tomorrow so chin up heather your doing a great job and dont worry lola will come round lol then god help you when she does because you will get nips for not fussing her enough lol give them all a hug from me take care bye for now Bev
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Post by crazylady on Jun 13, 2014 19:43:49 GMT -5
OOPS forgot to add try giving lola a little tidbit away from the kits it could be the restricted diet is also driving her nuts give her a time out in another room with say a chick once she has eaten it let her back to her babies while they eat the beef take care bye for now Bev
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