I took in an intact female Marshall's escapee...

[Heather]

What a lucky little one she is that she has you.
There is a way to get a rough estimate as to how old she is. Check her teeth, at the tips of her canines look for clarity, if they're opaque all the way to the root then they are a year old or less

If the tooth is clear up to the first third of the tooth you're looking at a ferret under 4 yrs of age.

Mad Max's teeth are clear all the way up to the root and the gums are also clear. Max is about 11 yrs old. It's not totally reliable but it's very close and for the most part it works. This becomes difficult when the tooth has been broken off or as in the case of little Pooka the she has at some time in her life damaged the root of both canines (this isn't uncommon in ferrets who spend their whole life in cages) and the teeth though not rotten are dark and brown (dead) Pooka is also about 11 yrs old. I had someone who once told me to look at the length of the tooth (how far it hangs along the bottom of the jaw) Fun-Go has horrifically long teeth and is only about 3 yrs old. As you will note that he has broken off one tooth, I will assume in a cage war at some time. It's been broken since I've known him (about 2 yrs)

Marshals so makes me angry. The careless manner that they care for their ferrets is criminal
ciao

[msktty89]

She really is cute.

That's crazy that so many escape and it's not better regulated.

Will you have the ear tag removed? Is it detrimental at all? (I was thinking if she were to scratch at it, would it tug at her ear or possibly tear?)

[maharg]

January 2011 Update:

First off, Gywn is now called Minnie. We were often calling her "the minnie one" because she is just so tiny.
She weighs only about 600 grams (1.3 pounds) and her body length is shorter than my other girls. It gives her a very cute compact look.
So, Minnie stuck and became her actual name.

Minnie came into heat in December. Her vulva began swelling and that was what led to me knowing she was in heat.
The swelling increased over the first 3-4 days until her vulva was about the size of a chick pea.
OMG, the odor.... Whew! Her body odor increased dramatically and her vulva had a clear discharge what had a distinct "in heat" odor as well.
A very stinky girl, she was.

After she was in heat for just under two weeks, she had an hCG injection.

After the injection, her vulva swelling decreased but it took awhile. After about a week, it decreased by about 50 %. Then in the second week, it went down a bit more. Her odor decreased quite a bit within the first week post injection and by the time she was spayed her strong "in heat" odor was no longer noticeable.

She was then spayed and had her ear tag removed.

Her Packed Cell Volume was tested the day of surgery and it was 30%. That is low. Normal is typically 45-55%.

The low PCV was attributed to her estrus which can cause anemia secondary to high levels of hormones.
The high estrogen levels inhibit the bone marrow from generating enough red and white blood cells and platelets leading to anemia and infections. A lower platelet level can also cause bleeding internally.

Her PCV value shows how soon that process begins. She was not in estrus for a prolonged period of time but her bone marrow was already changing it's normal production due to the hormones of estrus.

Her PCV was not so low that the surgery needed to be postponed. All of her other blood values were normal and she was acting fine, eating, drinking, had a thick coat etc.

Following surgery, she developed a fever of 105.5. (Rebound hyperthermia following anesthesia in ferrets is not uncommon) They used ice packs, alcohol on her pads and IV anti-inflammatory medication to get her temp down. It was back to normal within a few hours.

I have to bring her back in this coming week for a recheck of her PCV to make sure it is going up now that she has been spayed.

So, that is the story in case any one wondered how she made out.
Minnie is a great little girl and I am SO glad to have her here as a part of my business.

[shilohismygirl]

I'm so glad you came back to update! I'm so glad you got her and that you are taking care of her the way she needs. She is the cutest little girl. Minnie is a great name for her.

[mjohn143]

She is sooo adorable! I can't believe that many escape!! I will say they are probably better off living 'wild on the grounds' than in that research lab! I mean, assuming the conditions are right for them to survive? Anyway, she is lucky to have found you, and an adorable little dear!

[bluemoose]

Well unless there's food all over the ground and no predators, I don't think conditions are right for them to survive in the wild Considering most ferrets are imprinted on kibble, they'd starve to death if something else didn't do them in first.

Anyway, glad to hear she's doing so well. She's lucky to have found a good home

[mjohn143]

Yea... well I kinda thought they meant they colonized, so I assumed they were surviving . Wishful thinking.

[bluemoose]

Ah I didn't read that part until just now. Still seems like they wouldn't be surviving very long though. Between lack of food, lacking the ability to get the food that's available (in the form of small animals), weather, predators, and disease, I can't really see them living too long. But a quick death might still be better than what they endure at Marshall.

[rarnold18]

Thankyou so much for the update! I think Minnie is a wonderful name for her! I'm glad to hear that she's doing so well!

[Heather]

Thank you so much for the update. I was thinking of your little one earlier when someone actually asked what the marshals facilities were like. I'm glad that everything has worked out for both you and that her season and spay went without too much incident.
ciao

[sherrylynne]

Thanks for the update! So glad she's doing well How is she fitting in with your other two, now?

[katt]

Aw It's ood to hear an update! I am glad she is doing well! You know what you forgot to add to your update though right? Pictures!