At about 3 a.m., he appeared to finally be trying to relax.  He wasn't shaking any more, but he still tried to stretch his head back.  He was completely warm, so I thought that, if I put him back in his cage with his three other cage-mates, inside his sleep sack, they would keep him warm.  They all seemed to know that keeping him warm was necessary, as I always found him buried under the rest each morning.

While he was on the couch, the other ferrets would come up and gently check on him.  It was so touching that they didn't try to disturb him.  There is no question that they knew he wasn't going to last long and they just wanted to say their good-byes.

When I put him in his cage, the others crowded around and snuggled in next to him.  He closed his eyes part of the way and laid down.  I thought that maybe he would be OK until morning and that I could get some rest.

The next morning, I got up to give medications and check on Smokey.  He was gone.  The rest had moved away from him and were sleeping elsewhere in the cage.  When I lifted him out, he was stiff and cold at the head and tail, but his middle was still warm.  I figure that he must have just left a short time before.

I put him on my chest and carried him around for a little while.  I didn't want him to be gone.  I thought that, had I gotten up just a half hour earlier, maybe I could have gotten him up and he would have fought a little longer.  He didn't seem to want to go.  I will always wonder if I could have kept him going if I had just gotten to him sooner.

I will always carry that guilt--the guilt that I might have been able to eventually find the right thing to do to save him.  However, the vet told me at the beginning, that he was very old.  I know he was supposed to be about 3 or so when I got him, but there was no way to tell.  The guy that had him before me had him for a year or so.  He lived with me for about 2½ years.

He was full-grown when the previous guy had him, so he may have been as old as 5, or even older.  Ferrets are considered to be geriatric at about three years of age.  There is no real anecdotal information that can prove how long a ferret should live, but I've heard of ferrets that have lived for over 13 years.  Of course, I don't have any documented proof of this.  However, reaching five years of age seems to be a good length of life for the average ferret.

I'm sure that Smokey had lots of living during his time here on earth.  I hope that he has gone to a much better place, where there is no pain and where he can play and be happy forever more.  I also hope that he takes good care of the piece of my heart that he took with him.  Ferrets tend to find ways into your heart where no one else can reach.  When they leave us, they take that hidden place with them.  The pain and sorrow are strong with that loss.  I hope that I never forget Smokey.  He was a beautiful ferret.  He was a happy ferret.  Most of all, he was a loved ferret.  Rest in peace, Smokey.