This is in response to the anon poster about bedding and ADV.  I'm not
Millie, but I understand her stance on things.
 
There are a lot of people selling bedding out there.  It's a buyer's
market.  If we want to know whether or not someone who is selling bedding
is ADV tested before we buy from them, that is our perogotive.  If they
refuse to tell us, or tell us no, we will go to someone else who does
test.  At the same time, we do want to make others aware that it is safer
to buy from a tested negative household.  Although it is very rare for
a piece of bedding from an ADV positive household to be contaminated
with ADV that could be passed to your ferrets, it's not impossible.  I
personally do not want to take the chance.  I wash my bedding before I
use it, however I am allergic to parvocides (and bleach too) and prefer
to not have to use it if I don't have to.
 
As to ebay bids - I don't bid on items from sellers if I don't know their
status.  I don't buy things at petstores!  I haven't been to a petstore
that had a ferret in it for years.  I buy food online.
 
I think one of the main things Millie is trying to get across is buyer
beware.  If they won't provide you the information about ADV status
that you requested, do you really want to buy their stuff?  And as to
them bringing in other problems, well that's why we vaccinate.  There
is no vaccination for ADV.  It's a silent disease.  And if someone who
adamantly was against testing suddenly says, oh yeah, I've tested
negative...well what makes us believe them after they were so against
it?  So maybe then you want proof before you buy from that seller.  Any
honest seller who cares about ferrets will not hesitate to offer such
proof to you.
 
Be part of the solution, not part of the problem - that's the
www.ferretadv.com motto.
 
Linda
[Posted in FML issue 4704]