Here's an excerpt from the FAQ I put together today for new and prospective
ferret owners.  Please note that I don't intend this to replace the other, more
comprehensive FAQs which are being written, but it seemed there was a need for
this kind of basic information as well.
 
FERRET FAQ FOR NEW AND PROSPECTIVE OWNERS
(version 0.1 - Emergency Edition)
11/22/93
 
This document is very much a work in progress.  Please treat it as such,
and feel free to send corrections, comments, and additions.
 
Credits: PG  = Pam Greene ([log in to unmask])  <-- this is me
 
Since I don't exactly know where the rest of these people are, i.e. whether
they're in FFZs or not, I'll just mark their contributions with initials
until I hear from them.  If you have any questions that relate to one of their
parts specifically, let me know and I'll look up the name and email address.
Many thanks to the contributors, and apologies to those whose assistance I must
inadvertently have forgotten.
 
Contributions of individual respondents are noted by [begin XX] and [end XX].
 
: [Note that these Q's aren't in any particular order yet.]
 
: 0. Goal of this FAQ
: 1. Should I get a pet ferret?
: 2. Which color is the best?  Should I get a male or a female?  What age?
: 3. How many should I get?  All at once, or one at a time?
: 4. Do I need to spay/neuter my pet?  How about descenting?  Declawing?
: 5. Where can I get pet ferrets?
: 6. Will I need a license or permit?  Whom should I call to find out?
: 7. What will I need to take care of my new ferret?  How can I best
:    ferretproof my home?
: 8. What should I feed my ferret?  What kind of litter should I use?
: 9. I'm having problems litter-training my ferret.  What should I be doing?
: 10. Help!  My ferret is going bald!  (in October or April)
: 11. My ferret trembles a lot.  Is that normal?
: 12. How do I know if my ferret likes something?  Do they have a purr-
:     equivalent?
: 13. I just got another ferret.  How can I introduce him/her to my old one(s)
:     with the least trouble?
: 14. How can I introduce my ferret to my (dog/cat/bird/goldfish/rabbit/etc.)
:     with the least trouble?
: 15. What vaccinations will my ferret need, and when?
: 16. Where can I go for more information?
: 17. What kind of collar/bell/tag should I use?
: 18. What warning signs should I watch for to tell if my ferret is sick?
: 19. Any suggestions on toys?  Treats?
: 20. How do I train my pet not to nip?
: 21. Bathing, claning ears, and clipping nails.
: 22. Traveling with ferrets
: 23. Things ferrets say and do
: 24. What do I do about fleas?
: 25. Are ferrets wild animals?  Why are there ferret permits and FFZs?
: 26. Can I teach my ferret tricks?  How?
 
0. Goal of this FAQ
 
[start PG]
A number of people have begun work on comprehensive discussions of all sorts
of ferret behavior, medical problems, and advice.  This FAQ is not intended
to replace any of those.  However, there seems to be a need for an "intro" FAQ
which covers many of the basic questions in a fairly light way.  That is, this
is intended to be a FAQ in the purest sense of the term: a document to answer
questions which keep coming up in the newsgroups and Ferret Mailing List,
rather than a comprehensive guide to ferret ownership. If you're relatively
new to ferrets, the idea is that you'll read this guide (or one like it) first,
then go on to the more detailed guides.
[end PG]
 
<The rest of this document has been edited, in a rather rough but hopefully
useful form.  If you'd like a copy, please email me, Pam Greene, at
[log in to unmask]>
 
- Pam
 
[Posted in FML issue 0647]