[Posted since there have been questions about the FHL lately. BIG]
The FHL is a list which has a very simple set of goals: to try to get
good and rapid health information to people to save ferrets and decrease
the worries of their people.
There few rules but the ones which exist must be followed, though we 6
moderators (Christopher Bennett, Bruce Williams, Mike Janke, Pam Sessoms,
Troy Lynn Eckart, and me -- all in their order of becoming moderators
except me but it would not have been polite to place myself anywhere but
last on the list) are understanding when some minor or confusing rules
are forgotten now and then though we may reject with a request for
re-write or re-direction. The vet and hospital name rule is usually the
one that confuses people; we allow names when a recommendation is made,
but not when a treatment is discussed to avoid any vet discomfort among
those answering or those treating. Of the rules some (like being kind
to each other and trying to keep conversations inclusive so that member
discomfort is kept low) are original ones. Some people (including vets)
come to the FHL to share info and learn, but some come because they are
going through a hard patch with a ferret and need help so they already
have enough tension in life. Most answers don't even need to come from
vets because so much of the membership is adroit at health care
questions, especially long-term members. Another aim of the rules is to
make vets and other exceedingly busy people (like shelter keepers) as
comfortable as possible despite their heavy schedules by keeping the
forum as on-topic and non-political as possible and reducing extraneous
material (like long quotes when not needed); that permits as many vet
answers as possible and it also means that the things learned have wider
application because vets and shelter keepers get to read more
health-specific info.
Originally, it was located elsewhere but a few months ago was moved to
Smartgroups due to some functional problems with the first hosting site,
and in so doing we all learned that all of the free hosts have their own
sets of problems, but at least Smartgroups' support section listens and
has corrected some difficulties already.
Our membership is large and has a history of going out of its way to help
others: looking up things, and offering other informational help, and the
Files section has a wealth of information, and the Archives even more.
Because the questions arose due to my finally having time to resume the
posts I carry over, here is some basic info on those. They are by no
means inclusive, which is one reason I add on the URLs so that folks can
go to the site and follow conversations. They are unidirectional; i will
not carry replies or questions to the FHL from here. The initials are
those of the experts (usually vets) quoted and of the Ferret Health List.
Selection is mine with Bill Gruber, the marvelous (Don't remove that
word, Bill!) FML moderator, making a second cut of what to include as per
the needs of the Ferret Mailing List. I try to run some posts bout
common problems and some about unusual things that may otherwise be hard
to find. By sending those few to the FML more people have a chance to
learn and more ferrets are helped, plus they wind up in an additional
archive which allows them to continue helping others.
Hope this helps someone further.
[Posted in FML issue 3896]
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