This is kind of unrelated, but I think that if adoption fees at shelter
are high enough, most people would think twice about paying $75 (or
whatever the adoption fee was) for a shelter ferret. That's a meal
reserved for 25th wedding anniversaries, not snakes!

Then, as I was thinking this: I thought of another way to ever deal
with the "snake food" proposition. (We microchip all the ferrets that
leave our shelter and so it made me imagine a scenario.)

If you ever have someone questionable, just tell them you microchip
and immediately state in the reasons why (ownership, lost, ID, etc.) If
your possible "snake-feasters" aren't getting the point and are still
sitting through your speil, tell them (in your most amazed-sounding
voice) that once you heard of a snake eating a ferret with a microchip.
Say "And you wouldn't even believe it, but it poisoned the snake to
death! Who knew?" It wouldn't be _lying_ so to speak, because I just
said that statement and you can quote me. Just because I'm not being a
reliable source right now, doesn't mean you can't use the phrase it if
you need it!

I don't post often, but darn if that wouldn't freak a reptile owner
out. It's kind of like my hag of a gynecologist telling me that she had
a client's baby "murdered" by a ferret once, right after I told her I
ran a ferret shelter -- and yes I was 5 months pregnant. She's a hag..
a big foppish hag.

Happy January!
Laura

[Posted in FML 5485]