> Ferrets were NOT related to rodentia; they're Mustellidae.  sigh  Oh well,
 
Re collars,
 
I'd like to put in another plug for ball chain (friends turned me on
to this).  If you go to Ace hardware you can pick from a selection of
ball chain.  I use the large size -- the kind you might also find in a
toilet ball kit.  To size it, I just keep on clipping a ball out of
the collar until they slip the collar off only every two or three
weeks (anyway, keep it big enough to get a finger under it).  You can
mail order really cool little colored bells, exactly 1cm in size and
_loud_, from Worldbeads/Beadworks on Capitol Hill in Seattle ((206)
323-4998).  You may want to file the slot in the bell bigger so they
can't get a claw stuck.  You can use flexible wire or stff wire to
attach the bell (and an ID tag).  Sears has pretty small ID tags.
 
Re Mustelidae, Rodentia,
 
My understanding (gleaned from something like The Encyclopedia of
Mammals) is that the proper contrast is Order Rodentia vs. Order
Carnivora, with ferrets belonging to the order Carnivora, family
Mustelidae, subfamily Mustelinae.  Perhaps someone on the list would
have more info.
 
Todd Cromwell
Dors (mi dulce novia) and Seldon (el cazador de sueno)
 
[Posted in FML issue 0951]