Hello Again everyone out there in FML land.
Again, thank you to all who have been welcoming me by e-mail and writing
about other things - I will get back to you personally soon, if not already -
I swear! It is such a good feeling to be welcomed by so many - I feel like I
have a brand new family of friends. You are all great. (first try mis-typed
that as "new family of fiends).
To my new Canadian friends, I will soon answer each of you personally,
everyone who has written from Canada sounds like my kind of people! I will
put out on the board here a response to a few comments and questions. Yes,
I definitely think the Canadian bred ferrets are smarter and show other
differences from their American cousins. Why - I am not sure, but as noted
by one person - Canadians have been bred for fur and hunting and so may be
closer genetically to ferrets of old. Not sure about this, so no attacks
please, I love all my ferrets regardless of origin.
Some of the differences I have noted are as follows: While all my ferrets
are fairly large (good diet variety at early age) except for a couple of
rescues and one whole jill from genetically small line - the Canadians are
larger for early neutering than early neutered Americans. My Canadians are
of several body types and in each of these there are differences. The bull
dog body type generally has a broader chest width and slightly shorter legs.
The bull dog types are very strong and muscular with tremendous upper body
strength. If they can jump and hang ten to their destination, they can
usually "chin up" by pulling themselves with strong fore quarters. The bull
dog types also seem to have a larger head - frequently slightly cone shapped
and wider jaw spread. I also have a Canadian jill - whippit body type and so
far, the largest whippit I have ever seen. Nelly weighs 3-3/4 and at highest
weight was 3.90 lbs. She has long legs, long body, narrow head and long tail.
She is also a hellion.
While my Canadians certainly can get in a lot of trouble, they are
nevertheless - extremely affectionate and all very attached to their mommy.
(Moi). Sweet Hart - a year old Canadian Blaze is very popular and I usually
lose him at shows because everyone likes to rap with him. He has the ability
to open plastic topped cans and things and even opens my arthritis medication
for me. Nothing in my house is safe from these guys, because they can figure
out how to reach anything no matter where. Wouldn't be surprised to find
them using a little slide rule, paper and pencil for their plots. They also
work togrether on projects in a cooperative basis.
My Canadians are all early neuters and either rescued or purchased from pet
stores. I would love to get my hands on a breeding pair. They are imported
to Northern Virginia from Manitoba Canada - can any of you be of assistance
in helping me locate the breeder or a breeder of Canadians???
While on the subject of Canadians and regarding Pam Grants post on the
greenies - I, too, subscribe to the theory that possibly Canadians may be
the origin. I have been tracking the greenies since they first appeared and
have yet to locate a CONFIRMED CASE in a KNOWN CANADIAN. When you report in
to Pam, please also CC: copy to me. Everytime there is a break-out of
greenies, I spend days tracking and have yet, after nearly three years, come
upon a Canadian case of greenies.
When the greenies struck our home several years ago, all ferrets were down
with it in an eighteen hour period. This is when I first suspected a Canadian
connection - because my Canadians did not contract the disease - and, it would
have been impossible for them not to have been exposed since all ferrets share
common litter boxes, food and water bowls. On a subsequent outbreak in
ferrets not previously on premises during first "hit", the greenies followed
my bringing in a Canadian rescue. He did not have the greenies. I believe,
until otherwise disproven, that whatever this "bug" is, the Canadians are
immune, but may be shedders of the virus.
For Julie Paul - Have you tried Duck Soup and STAT-vme. Write to me.
For scochen - thanks for your post & clarification - ya really had me going
there for a minute. Thanks also for heat traveling tip. Here is another one
- plastic re-freeze-able containers for packing in picnic baskets and such -
can be wrapped in a towel, and placed in carrier. One of these "broke" a
leaked out a couple of years ago and after contacting NAPCC, where for a
charge, you can always reach a vet toxocologist - I found the "innards" were
no poison threat to ferrets.
For Dave Hinz & others curious about my firestarter - will write this tale
(tail?) will write this in another post - taking up too much space here.
For those who have inquired - yes, I am the same person who writes for "The
Independent Voice". For subscription info. - e-mail ACMEferret.
For those who have inquired - Yes, I am the judge seen on the L.I.F.E. Show
trail who laughs a lot and wears a lot of jewelry!
Supples for ferrets can be ordered from various companies - one I like is the
Omaha Vaccine Company - telephone 1-800-367-4444. Ask to be placed on their
mailing list and get a catalog.
Before there was Totally Ferret - which I have added to my mix - I used and
still swear by PERFORM by Carnation (36% protein). This can only be obtained
by mail and the telephone number is 1-800-365-PETS. I use the kitten mix.
Regards to all. Meg P.S. Sorry to take up so much space, but I can only
write letters on this thing so far, and not very good either - couldn't get
back to correct my typo's. My computer friend (fiend) has REFUSED to teach
me anything else until I buy a printer. This is black e-mail. I am not sure
I want to learn anything else. My mind boggles quite easily and has stayed
boggled since this infernal thing arrived. And it keeps doing weird things
and I swear I have not done anything to cause it. Telephone repairman came
the other day because my phone was screaming and couldn't get a dial tone.
How could I have known you couldn't use your phone while on line?? meg
[Posted in FML issue 1219]
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