**CHRIS-can you pease post this anonymously-thanks**
 
I'm glad the FML is back on line; I was having withdrawal symptoms at work.
(maybe I need a more interesting job!)
 
I'm interested in everyone's adventures introducing new ferrets. Cinderella
still does not like Norman. The big oaf just jumps on her and she shrieks. I
don't know if he is biting her, but I presume he is? Anyway, I can't deal with
her shrieking like that, so I have been keeping them separate. I am still
thinking of getting a young fuzzie as a playmate for Norman (*I am looking for
a ferret born after April 9, somewhere in New England area or possibly Long
Island.*) I believe Cinderella is happy on her own. They both have cats and a
couple of dogs for company; the other day while I was combing one of the cats
Norman curled up against her (the cat) and went to sleep.
 
Is storing stuff a female thing? Cinderella is the only ferret I've had who
hides things; she would probably have about a month's worth of dry food hidden
all over the house if the cats and dogs didn't find her caches.
 
Re: fleas. Ugh--is there an area in US or Canada that fleas don't inhabit? Two
of my favorite weapons are totally non-toxic: the vacuum cleaner and a (cat)
flea comb. I also use a tea tree oil shampoo which I get from my vet. As far as
cleaning stuff goes, I don't like using toxic products such as Lysol. I
consider it too hazardous to the animals, to the environment, and to me, too!
Why take chances? I like buying stuff like Murphy's Oil Soap. I also don't like
giving money to companies that deliberately poison animals whether they're
rats, cats, ferrets or anyone else.
 
Hi Troy Lynn--do you have an address for the guy at CDC re: rabies? I find I
can be more coherent in a letter. A friend of mine was taking a grad level
class in infectious diseases (school of public health program) and the teacher
went on and on about how vicious ferrets are and how they carry rabies etc. I'm
sure she never met one, but this is the misinformation they're fed.
 
A number of years ago when I worked at a shelter for homeless people (before I
knew I lived in a FFZ) I used to bring Mr. Fuzzy Wuzzy with me every now and
then. Everyone loved him; it was very therapeutic. Then the public health nurse
asked me to stop bringing him in because she was afraid he would bite someone.
After that, not a day went by that someone didn't ask me when I would bring him
back in. Sadly, now I wouldn't bring a ferret anywhere in public knowing what
would happen to them if they bit someone.
 
To everyone out there with problem biters: Norman's biting has greatly improved
(although giving him a bath is an adventure). The other day he tried to play
tug of war with my finger, but he wasn't biting hard, just pulling on me. He is
still quite shy when he hears a noise. If I come upon him unexpectedly, he runs
unless I say something and then he knows it's me.
 
--Cinderella & Norman's mom
 
[Posted in FML issue 0885]