Hi, I'm been recieving the FML for quite awhile now. I have two ferrets (both
from Marshall Farms!)  Tariff, a sable; and Gauntlet, a silvermitt.  Tariff is
a perfect little girl, she's about 2 yrs now and is 99% potty trained.  We
live in a large studio apartment (with only one litter box).  Gauntlet on the
other hand is a constant source of aggravation.  She refuses to be potty
trained, and is the most hyper creature I have ever seen.  She can run around
at full throttle for at least 2 hrs (Maybe longer, but by that time she's
annoyed the s**t out of me).  Someone recently mentioned something about
collars and I thought I'd share Gauntlet and I's ferret crisis.
        It happenened about a year ago.  My fiance and I used to take our
ferrets for a walk (leash and collar style) each day.  After their walk they
would be all hot and sweaty and liked to crawl into the shower.  It was the
cutest thing they would roll around in the water and drink and play.  Everyone
enjoyed themselves.  Well one day I came home late from work.  I went to the
cage and noticed that Gauntlet's head was swollen to twice it's original size.
I freaked, we discovered that her collar had shrunken and was choking her to
death.  We immediately cut the collar off, in the process doing a little
damage ourselves and rushed her to the vet.  The vet shaved her head and
treated her for the wounds both the collar and I had made.  Our vet informed
us that it was the nylon collar that had done this.  Now I know that NYLON
SHRINKS and is a foolish material to make a collar out of.  The vet said that
she sees this kind of accident alot with dogs (coincidently most dog collars
are either nylon or leather) but had never seen it with a ferret.  I explained
that it was a dog collar that the ferret had on.  Gauntlet has made a full
recovery but because of the accident can never wear a collar again.  I'm not
an irresponsible owner, I love and care for them greatly!  In fact I hate to
see any animal hurt, so check your collars...If they're nylon THROW THEM
OUT!!! It is not worth your ferrets life!!
 
P.S. Does anyone else's ferret eat bugs!!!!!!
-Liz, Gauntlet and Tariff(the roach eater)
 
[Posted in FML issue 0825]