Shivering: they also will shiver with extreme joy and excitement.  I recall
when Spotty had to be shuttled around due to a major stroke (which he later
almost completely recovered from and went on to have some time before his
kidney disease that was caused by ECE damage took him).  On the morning
after we picked him up from the emergency place which provided him with
24 hour vet care.  He shook so much when he noticed us that the vet was
afraid he was having another stroke.  Between his kisses we managed to
explain that he was simply very happy to see us, as she could easily see.
 
Insurance: It's cheaper to save and you won't have someone telling you
that they won't cover procedures because of them knowing zip about ferret
medical care.  Figure on a dollar per day per ferret, and if it gets to be
more in terms of care needed from you or money needed from you then you can
always do what most of us do and cancel vacation (which we did again this
year) or cut out some non-essentials.  Saving is only a habit; it's easy
to continue once you begin.
 
It IS expensive to get them through some major things and most have major
problems at some time.  If you have a number at once who are elderly then a
lot of problems will happen at once making care difficult and sleep even
more difficult -- but nothing as bad as mourning many in the same year.
There are those who have long said that if the economic realities are
pointed out then people won't get ferrets and that will increase the
burdens on shelters, but let's look at facts.  Most people do NOT point out
these costs any longer, yet, we all know that over the years there are more
and more shelters with more and more ferrets.  Staying mum sure hasn't
helped.  Perhaps the answers lie in being HONEST about the RESPONSIBILITIES
involved, including the monetary ones, to try to reduce the number of
people who drive up "production" then burden shelters as soon as care or
costs become difficult.  Some simply are irresponsible and won't ever
listen to reason, but others just plain do not know the needs beforehand
and would have kept themselves to a reasonable number of ferrets IF they
had known ahead of time.  Perhaps the cranking out of multiple litters each
year or the selling of kits who are too young which sometimes happens (at
times of greatest demand) also can be partly tracked back to demand by
those who know the costs and needs involved beforehand due to others not
being frank enough to encourage responsible actions.
 
It's SUPPOSED to be about the ferrets; they are not served kindly by lack
of care.
[Posted in FML issue 3144]