Research: what happens to the ferrets depends on the research type
and the researchers; this is also true for ones who have been used for
teaching how to intubate infants.  There are people here at the FML who
have adopted research ferrets.  Some are used for other research or for
teaching intubation on infants.  Some don't survive.  It never hurts
when a person is near a lab using ferrets to offer an adoptive home for
afterward.
 
Rumors: folks, the tally sheet for ferret internet community rumors is
that well over 90% of the rumors are false.  Some get begun by trouble
makers who may even find ways to separate themselves from the rumors.
Most seem to be begun by people who crave attention so badly that they
will willingly hurt others to get that level of attention.  If you pass
rumors instead of working to verify things then you wind up looking like
a gullible patsy or a nasty person.  Don't fall into the trap of
believing rumors!
 
Shelters and Sanctuaries: there are needs for both.  When it is too hard
to find someone who is up to doing critical care then sanctuary makes
sense.  When a ferret is adoptable, or adoptable to the right home then a
shelter makes sense for that individual.  It has to depend on the needs
of the individual ferret and is not a "one-size-fits-all" situation, and
both are needed.  I have no problem with a sanctuary that tends only to
critical care ferrets getting donations or being 501-C, ditto shelters.
It is hard and expensive to do either.  Remember that one of the ferrets
we just lost ran us over $12,000 in medical care due to his deformities;
it is not cheap to offer a home to such individuals, so if a sanctuary
option keeps them as well as they can be and happy then who am I to argue
with it?  I do think, though, that such an arrangement would need more
volunteers and careful medical record keeping than regular shelters fro
the same numbers of individual animals, and that with the help of vet
recommendations it may be possible to place some of those critical care
individuals, but certainly not all of them.  I'm not about to comment
on the conditions or policies of places for which I do not know the
conditions or policies, so take all of this as a general statement.  It
is important that the two things not be confused: that ones who have
minor medical needs not be confused with critical care ones just as it is
as important that ones needing special medical care not be adopted out to
someone unable to provide it, but I don't know anyone who can accurately
judge another long-distance except when clear cases of abuse exist as
happened with the Christmas Rescues, the JM Rescues, the Utica rescues,
etc.  and those were glaring situations in which the law got involved and
strong documentation was available.  It is a good topic to discuss in a
friendly way to exchange information because it may help ferrets when
done that way.
 
>Is that the purpose of the FML?  Is it called the "Flaming Mailing List"
>now?  I just joined not too long ago, and I am pretty dissappointed thus
>far.
 
Hang around.  Steve and I have been here since before it began (in the
groups that preceded it and the group which planned the FML) and mostly
it is worth it and always has been.  There are a few people who like to
sensationalize, pass rumors, fight, or bait as opposed to debating,
discussing, sharing, and supporting.  Time will show you who they are and
you will develop the habit or skipping the posts of a few individuals who
do this repeatedly just as you'd avoid certain individuals in a small
town the same size as the FML.  Most folks here are good people to know.
 
Lack of sleep leads to impulsive actions.  After losing both of our
critical care ferrets, Sevie and Scootie, within 12 hours we wound up
hugging tightly, shaking and unable to eat or sleep, and Ashling and
Sherman were just as bad.  We couldn't bear the idea of them getting ill
so we went out bleary and actually brought home two kits whose budding
personalities seemed right for Ling-Ling and Worm.  We interacted a lot
and how we thought they'd go over with the older two was the deciding
criterion.  We already know the little girl is Chiclet; she sticks to
everyone like gum.  The boy will tell us his name as he shows more and
more of his personality.  So, we have deep sadness but there is laughter
mixed in and that helps us all.  And, yes, it did get Ling and Worm to
eat and sleep again...
 
Always learn about ferret health, and be sure to learn the common
things beforehand:
http://www.smartgroups.com/groups/ferrethealth
http://www.ferretcongress.org
[Posted in FML issue 4042]