Be careful with weighted glass plates, lead crystal, and ashtrays because
they are too often weighted with lead.  If they are not weighted the
probability of lead reduces, ditto safer if they were made for human hot
food use in an industrialized nation that tests in the last decade or so.
 
Catherine writes wise words:
>I just wanted to throw my two cents worth into the ring, before some
>people who are "new" might feel like they should not own a ferret if
>they are not very wealthy.  I'm not saying keep adding ferrets beyond
>your capacity to care for them emotionally, physically, and medically.
>I also feel that if you are going to own one and do not already, check
>into the cost of veterinary care.  See what, if any, arrangements your
>vet will allow.  Make sure your vet has had experience with ferrets,
>etc., etc., etc.
 
Yes, yes, yes!  It is a balance thing!
 
Learn enough and then try to have as many as you decide that you can
afford and care for well enough.  (Many more than that becomes animal
hoarding.  A few more than the optimal number mean lean years and little
sleep as far as anything for the human family members until the number
naturally becomes more manageable again.  There is a lot that can said
about the good hearts of people whose carpets long ago would have
been replaced in households where ferrets haven't caught hearts and
money... :-) )
 
We've had twice as many ferrets in the past as we have now.  Right now we
could probably afford to add two, but no more than that, so not as many
as we had at the most.  It's not that we don't love them (LOL -- when I
think of how many hours are spent to help people get vet and care info
every day as well as loving our own ferrets I think that our love of
ferrets is a given) but we could find a reduction in our ability to
provide care if we had as many as we once had no matter how much we
might want them but that would not be fair for the ferrets, so...
[Posted in FML issue 4794]