To Ben Rodman:
Some time ago I began compiling a ferret FAQ, only to discover after a week or
two that (at least) two other people were already involved in putting together
files on ferret diseases, behavior, and such.  My work on the FAQ has pretty
much halted until I'm sure I won't just be repeating what someone else's
already done, but I have accumulated a lot of information in the "general
advice" category (as opposed to detailed descriptions of psychology, breeding
habits, etc.) -- whether a ferret is for you, how to train your pet, and the
like.  I'll edit that into some sort of presentable form and email it directly
to you.  Feel free to contact me if you have any other questions, and I'll
do my best to answer them from my own (admittedly limited) experience or from
the hundreds of kilobytes of responses I got to my questions.
 
To anon new ferret owner:
Obviously I can't send you the same file, so I'll touch on a few of your
questions here.  You're welcome to email me and I'll send it to you, along
with whatever other help I can give.
Stopping ferrets from biting other pets:  I've never done it, but I'd imagine
you do this the same way you introduce two ferrets to each other.  You could
also try spraying the one who's getting bitten with Bitter Apple.
Rabies: There is an FDA approved ferret rabies vaccine.  Debates on its
effectiveness are a bit beyond my expertise, except to mention that there is,
indeed, some debate.
Using your bed as a litter pan: In litter-training two kits, I never once saw
either of them use anything soft or bed-like as a pan.  Of course, every ferret
is different, and in any case you stand a decent chance of having the floor
next to your bed dirtied, but if you put a pan nearby I'd be surprised if you
had problems.
Calming effects of age: The amazingly rambunctious 9-week-old kit we got a
few months ago has matured into a slightly rambunctious 6-month-old, and
we've been told this trend will continue a bit, though ferrets do stay playful
all their lives.  On the other hand, the astonishingly calm 7-week-old became
just a bit rowdier by about 12 weeks (now), so go figure.
Collars: We leave ours on all the time, except when we're giving the critters
a bath.  It's not worth removing them for cage time -- which for us is every
night.  We just leave 'em comfortably loose and they don't seem to mind.
Sleeping: Every ferret I've seen has been a very deep sleeper.  You can take
advantage of this by trying to clip their nails while they sleep, or by
trying to convince gullible children that the ferrets are dead. :-)
Fruits: Our ferrets both like pears and apples, among other fruits and
veggies.   As I understand it, fruits aren't thought to be necessary for
proper nutrition, but there's nothing wrong with occasional bits.  Just be
sure you don't fill them up on fruits, since they need to eat enough of their
regular food to get their protein.
FFZ treatment of "found" ferrets: This depends on which FFZ you're in.  I
understand that California, at least, gives the owners some short period of
time to find the pets an out-of-state new home.
 
Well, I hope all of this has been helpful (and not too incorrect :).  Feel
free to email me if you have more questions.
 
- Pam ([log in to unmask])
companion to Pixxel the sable troublemaker, Rusty the cinnamon snuggleferret,
and Bob the redheaded husband
 
P. S. Thanks to all who responded with advice about fleas.  Three weeks after
we brought 'em home we haven't seen another one, so it seems we were lucky!
 
[Posted in FML issue 0647]