Ferrets are NOT bad pets! People can be bad caretakers! Its a sad fact
that our society has encouraged convenience and disposability. If it
isn't convenient for the human, we dispose of it! Why should the
responsibility of total information rest upon the shoulders of the pet
shop or the breeder? The prospective pet owner has the responsibility
to do their homework - to learn about the animal's needs and what
changes need to happen within the home or the family BEFORE bringing
the new pet home.

I think there ought to be a 14 day "cooling off/ home study time/
prerequisite course" before a person can actually bring a pet home.
This time should be used to self evaluate the home, the family members,
the committments and budget before bringing an animal into the home.

I doubt such a thing will ever become a reality. It's easier to bring
home a fur bearing pet than it is one with gills - a person wouldn't
dream of buying a fish without a proper way to contain the animal, or
ventilate it's water or how to treat the water; you can't keep it in
that baggie for very long before the fish expires. But a cat, dog or
ferret? plunk your money down and take it home that day! Still it's
the new pet owner's responsibility to provide for and clean up after
that pet.

Ferrets do require monitoring, they do require interaction, they do
require a proper species specific diet, they do require vet care - but
so do cats, dogs, rabbits, guinea pigs, birds, snakes, and any other
animal a human decides to keep as a pet. Practically any of these
animals can be destructive to the home if not planned for!

But you know what? Kids need all these things too - and kids can be
VERY destructive to a home! Kids will write on walls, smash things,
take things apart, spill paints & glue on carpets, gouge flooring with
toys, kick in doors, break windows, set fires, melt things, experiment
with scissors, stuff and pour things down drains and into toilets and
yes even pee and poop in the strangest places, for the strangest
reasons.

What it boils down to is NOT the animal - the animal doesn't know a
sofa cost 3000.00$ or a rug is irreplacible, or that poop absolutely
HAS to go in a specific place or only outdoors (the only pet I've had
that has only ever absolutely pooped outdoors has been my potbelly pig
- Emmett); animals chew for various reasons and if their diet doesn't
allow them proper things to chew on - they'll use substitutes - they
don't know that substitute is carrying deadly electricity or is an
expensive furnishing. So if they don't know these things, and CAN'T be
made to understand these things - just who's responsibility is it to
keep these things safe?

Sure an alternative would be to keep the animal caged 24/7 - but then
you might as well get a fish! Why did you get a ferret in the first
place? To enjoy their fast paced romps and tussles? To enjoy their
crazy dances, marvel at their chuckles, chortles and huffing? Be warmed
by their slinky, minky cuddles? Enjoy outdoor jaunts and explorations?
Have soft quiet talks while they look deeply in your eyes? Smile at
their pretzel shaped napping positions?

If you don't want to have to clean up a few messes, or repair
furnishings, or replace flooring - and you want to keep a pristine show
room house then get a pet rock! But if you want to really live life
like it was meant to be lived - then do your home work, get prepared
and get a ferret - or two - or three or TEN! Ferrets are the BEST pet!

Cheers,
Kim

please visit :
for ferret help and info:
http://holisticferret.proboards80.com/index.cgi
http://ferretopia.proboards51.com/index.cgi
yahoo groups Natural Ferrets

[Posted in FML 6940]