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He has cryptococcosis. It's a fungal infection caused by wild bird droppings. He's going to be on meds for it a minimum of 3 months and possibly as long as a year. My "free" ferret is about to break me.
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I've learned that I don't suffer from insanity, I enjoy it.

Glad it is something treatable. Just wondering, how'd the wild bird droppings get involved? Does he get outside time, or do you think that came along before you got him? Never heard of that one before. Also, tell me about those egg toys. I don't know that I've seen or heard of them before, but I would like to see if my ferrets like them.

The people that had Charlie before me had him caged outdoors. Obviously in not very clean conditions. Usually the infection is asymptomatic and will clear up on it's own. The problem is with compromised immune systems. Charlie has insulinoma and when I started him on pred it must have lowered his immune system enough for the infection to take hold.

I get the egg toys from a friend on another list. They are those plastic Easter eggs with a crotched covering over them. My kids love them. My friend makes 3 different kinds: plain eggs, eggs with tails (snakes), and with tentacles (octopusses). She puts bells and things in them so that when the kids shake them they make noise. Lynn charges $12/dozen and they are well worth it. I buy a couple dozen a year to replace the ones that have broken and to give as gifts. Sometimes she lists them on ebay but doesn't have any on there now although someone else may. I always just email her and ask her to make me some. I know Heaven Scent Ferret Shelter (fuzzyslave@aol.com) got some donated by her not too long ago and may still have some for sale.
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I've learned that I don't suffer from insanity, I enjoy it.

OK, so these are the crotcheted eggs I had been reading about on the FML but had no idea what they were. I'll see if I can find some for my kids to try. Thanks!

Trina has some mice eggs on ebay. Her stuff is really well made too.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=46307&item=4351948867&rd=1
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I've learned that I don't suffer from insanity, I enjoy it.

I'm glad you're able to get meds to treat this. My dad had a fungal disease from bird droppings which gave him meningitis. At that time (1985) it was rare. The only way they found out what he had was thru a spinal tap. I'm glad they caught it early. Hugs and good luck to Charlie!
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Kat
Ferret mom to Jasmine and Daffy
A Cheesehead from Wisconsin