The way the FML seems to go, it will probably be around Saturday before
we see a drop off of posts about Ed's post. That being said - I don't
think Ed meant to be mean in any way to his ferrets. There are a lot of
people around the world who treat ferrets differently, and while it may
be appalling to some of us (a lot of us, it seems) that is the way it
is. While I don't agree with Ed's method at all, I have to respect that
it is the way he would handle the situation. If anything, we learned
that this has been done, and worked for Ed. Is it a good thing? That's
subjective. Is it unhealthy to a ferret? Ferrets take a very short time
to go downhill, as we all know. One or two days without food could
compromise the health of a sick (or unknowingly sick) ferret.

I can see a parallel to what Ed was saying, and how people train
parrots who bite - becoming their "best friend" by "saving" them from
something that scares them, which of course the owner sets up. However,
for numerous reasons, I would choose to endure biting rather than
starve a ferret, and many other methods have worked for me. I don't
want to scare Ed off the FML, nor anyone else for fear their ideas are
going to be disliked. If anything, perhaps instead of the laborious
method he is using for biters, he might read something else that works
for him from the FML readers. Who knows.

Ed - I was going to ask - do you really let the ferret outside all day
long without supervision? Aren't you scared something will come up and
get it, or is it enclosed??? (I am thinking hawks, other birds, foxes,
dogs, etc). How many ferrets do you have? (If I may ask). It sounds
like you might be breeding ferrets? If so, that might account for more
severe biters (possibly?) and more "extreme" methods.

I am glad the original poster learned it was a hormone problem and it's
being remedied.

Laryssa

[Posted in FML 6214]