Suzi,
Oh boy.  Do I have a list of the negatives of owning ferrets on my mind
for prospective owners.
::looking around at all the wide eyes staring at me::
In the words of local rednecks here, "Shut UP".
In the words of my sons' friends, "Talk to the hand".  Lol.
 
People have to be bluntly honest and direct about the disadvantages in
owning a specific pet and not just the positives.  I personally don't
look at life with such rosy glasses, sorry.  It just invites trouble to
do so.  Okay, without any further ado, my list:
 
-- Poop!  They poop every few hours, it smells (cause it's ... well,
poop!), and so you must scoop daily for one ferret, twice a day for more.
 
-- High maintenance care.  Clipping nails weekly, cleaning ears a couple
times a month or more, wiping the ferret down for odor with damp clothes,
bathing every few months for odor, changing out laundry at least every
week (or more), filling water bottles daily, feeding daily, cleaning up
messes they make and accidents they have.
 
-- Did I mention poop?
 
-- loss of a bit of freedom (you must be there at least daily for your
ferret for him to exercise, check on him, feed him, water him, or at
least take him with you)
 
-- There is a slight odor that is not likable to some people (though this
can be controlled)
 
-- They must be watched like hawks when running about the house each day
as they find ways of locating every crack, crevice, hole, weak spot there
is everywhere each day.  They can dig at furniture and hurt it.  They
can dig at rugs by doors and damage them if you don't protect them with
plastic carpet protectors (very cheap).  They can climb and get hurt if
not watched.  They can dig up plants.  The very thing that makes ferrets
adorable and so enjoyable can also make them a handful.
 
-- Cost.  And boy there's plenty of it to go around.  Here's a mini list
of living costs:
  - liter needed every week (average 10 bucks a bag)
  - food (average 15 bucks a bag)
  - laxitone, ferretone (18 bucks right there)
  - cleaners for cages, pans, and cleaners for accidents  (bleach, water,
    simple solutions or oxyclean, etc)
  - grooming products. Ear cleaner, ferret shampoo, toothpaste, God knows
   what else
  - laundry bill (electricity, water, and laundry detergent costs ...
    and it does add up)
  - yearly shots
  - vet bills for care
  - contingencies.  Baby food, syringes, styptic powder (or whatever it's
    called) for nail clipping (in case of bleeds), medicines, etc
  - accessories such as leashes, etc
  - set up costs (ready for this one?) ... cage, liter pans, nail
    clippers, tooth brush, water bottle, food dish, toys, hammocks,
    blankees, ..... I know I'm not thinking of everything but you get
    the point.  This is very costly.
 
-- And ....... poop.
 
I approach different people with such things differently because every
situation is different.  I can smell an animal person, or at least a
patient person who takes things seriously a mile away.  For them, I try
to be supportive but also educate them without traumatizing them so they
are prepared and can slide into ferret ownership easily.  For those that
I have doubts about, I just start to blurt out the things up above
candidly.  And like clock work, they wave their hand at me with a smile
and say forget it at just the mere mention of costs or poop.
 
So ... have a made any enemies here?
 
Wolfy
http://wolfysluv.jacksnet.com
[Posted in FML issue 4705]