Why Ferret Math is NOT a GOOD thing

First, let me say one thing, these ferrets were loved. No doubt about that. And it was the size of the heart that got these people in trouble. Ferret math is not as wonderful as it seems.

I got this email yesterday, they are coming today. I blanked out the names just because it is the right thing to do.

People tend not to think long term when it comes to pets, ferrets especially. Yes, some can afford and deal with multiple pets and bills, but not all.

I tell people, save $5 per paycheck for an emergency/vet fund per ferret, or at least if you have two ferrets $25 a month. At $25 a month for two ferrets that is a $300 vet fund. Not enough for a surgery in most cases, but, a good down payment. Or if you are lucky it can roll over another year and keep adding the money monthly. Trust me, it helps. Surgeries can get expensive. This will help.

It wasn't something that they wanted to do, but out of need they are.

Ferret math is not a good thing.


Here is the email:

I need to surrender three of my ferrets. I love them very much and really want to keep them, but I can no longer afford to do so. To be completely honest, I never could in the first place, but up until now we were never QUITE badly off enough to have to surrender them.

my five-year-old girl I need to surrender, has a few medical problems. We bought her for $50 last November from a crappy pet store with the intention of making her better. She had adrenal surgery in mid-December; her left gland and 3/4 of her right gland had to come out. Her symptoms soon returned, so first she went on melatonin, then on lupron. On the 3rd of this month, we noticed that she had lost a great deal of weight; she was extremely lethargic, and when she did try to move around, she staggered as though drunk. We took her to the emergency vet, where they put her on a dextrose iv and a catheter. They tested her glucose and said it was 25. We left her there until the night of the 4th, when we had to bring her home due to lack of funds. They sent her home with some pred, and we took her to her regular vet the next day, where we were told to up the pred dosage and feed her every two hours; we were also given a prescription for another very expensive medicine. We fed her and gave her her pred for five or six days, and waited on filling her prescription, again due to lack of funds. By the time we finally were able to get her prescription filled, we had found out about some side effects of the drug we were wary of, so we returned to our vet for another glucose check and to ask advice. Her glucose on that visit was 341; WAY too high. It turns out that the emergency vet tested her glucose with a piece of equipment that is known for inaccuracies, so now we have no idea what her glucose actually was on the 3rd. Our vet thinks that she may be in the early stages of insulinoma; she is probably not diabetic, since 341 is about what our vet would have expected to see in a normal ferret who was taking as much pred as she was. was. she was to have her glucose checked this Friday, but our car needs VERY expensive repairs as it broke down completely a few days ago...without a car, I can't get to work, and without work I can't pay my rent, let alone the vet bills she is going to incur. And I can't borrow other people's cars forever.I don't want her to die because I can't afford her vet care.

All of this has also made me realize that I cannot afford to have as many ferrets as I do. I currently have five, and in all honesty cannot afford to keep more than two.The other two ferrets I would need to surrender are E (3-year-old female) and C (three-year-old male).We bought E from the same petstore as J in February of 2005. She has not had any health problems at all in the time we have had her. She gets along well with other ferrets, and with cats and dogs. She DOES bite, but only if you squeak a squeaky toy while she is playing, or if you put your hand in her face when she is dancing around being crazy. She loves to dig, and our rice box is probably her favorite toy.We got C from a "free farret" ad in August of last year. He also has not had any health problems. Some of the fur on his tail is thinning right now, but it also did this last fall during his shed, and grew back later. Since he is not losing from the base of his tail or elsewhere on his body, and since he has no other signs of adrenal, we do not think he has adrenal. He had an ultrasound last fall which showed both adrenal glands at a normal size. He loves his treats like n-bones and chicken baby food, but his very favorite thing is dragging J around the floor by her neck (which she loves even though she cries; whenever you save her, she shoots you a dirty look and runs right back over to him).They eat a mix of Felidae Cat and Kitten Formula/Chicken Soup for the Kitten's Soul. For treats they get chicken baby food, n-bones, and ferretone.They are up to date with their distemper shots (due next January), but not their rabies shot (we have never been able to afford it). They have been ADV tested...E and C with the at-home saliva test last September, and J had the blood test through our vet last December. They all tested negative.Unfortunately I cannot bring their cage, toys, etc with them since I still need them for the two I am keeping. I will bring a hammock or two with them.This decision has been a long time coming, and now that it is made I just want it all to be over.Please get back to me as soon as possible.