RE:Kytyn <[log in to unmask]>
> Subject: Exotic animal alert in Loudoun County
   There seems to be a lot of places trying to regulate ferrets lately.  I
wonder if its due to the efforts of the ferret hater from the HSUS?
    No exotics should be regulated as it is unconstitutional to regulate
peoples rights to keep pets, reguardless of what the pet is.  It is only
irresponsible pet owners who need to be punished if they allow their
pets to run loose and become a problem.  You can't punish everyone for the
actions of a few idiots.
 
RE: Emi Koizumi <[log in to unmask]>
> Subject: Condolences, US ferret regs, Sherpa bags
   Also be careful to check the regulations of the State, County and City/town
you are going to be in, plus any you are passing through.
   I CA you can't even transport a ferret through the state legaly..Unless you
can get the fish & game to sell you a permit (fat chance)..
 
RE: Monica Istvan <[log in to unmask]>
> Subject: NearSighted?!
> Crowley Cabel wrote that ferrets are near-sighted.  NOT!  My girls can spot a
 
   Their sight isn't all that great as a rule, but their sense of smell and
hearing is just fine, though some seem to have selective hearing when they
are getting into mischief.
   My ferret I used to own could smell his toys when hiden in boxes.. :)
 
RE: "HARRISON,REGINA,MS" <[log in to unmask]>
> Subject: ferret races
  Seems to me that the ferrets would have a lot of fun.  Just be careful to
spray the course with parvosol or some other disinfectant spray to prevent
the spread of any illnesses that might be carried.
 
RE: Gary Kaskel <[log in to unmask]>
> Subject: HSUS statement
>
> Rabies
> ...  public health officials recommend that any ferret who bites should
> be euthanized and analyzed for rabies.
 
  Concidering that three times more humans get rabies then ferrets, why
would rabies be a concern?  It isn't a concern with pet rats, mice, hamsters,
gerbils, guinea pigs, rabbits, pot belly pigs, etc...Ferrets are not very
likely to get rabies unless locked in a cage with a rabid raccoon..or injected
with the desease.
 
> Biting
> The HSUS recommends that children, particularly infants, never be left
> unsupervised with a ferret.
 
   No animals, reguardless of species, should be left alone with small
children.  Rabbits have even been know to attack children who pester them.
 
> Behavior
> ...Their nocturnal habits...
 
   Ferrets are not nocturnal..Hamsters, gerbils and rabbits are..
 
> Sterilization
> It is imperative that all pet ferrets are spayed and neutered...
 
  Concidering the current shortage of ferrets, due to the demand, this isn't
likely to become a problem.  Also, ferrets are seasonal breeders and not as
easy to breed as cats and dogs, who can have more then one litter a year.
Spaying and neutering does reduce the oder, but it should be up to the
owner if the chose to breed their animals..
  If they ALL have to be spayed or neutered, where do new ferrets come from?
So many purebred cats were spayed and neutered in the US, that it is getting
hard to find a purebred cat of the breed you want without a real hunt, and
due to the overuse of S&N the ones left are often REALY inbred..
  One should however spay females that are not to be used for breeding or
provide some way to get them to go out of heat when they come into heat.
 
> Summary
> In short, The HSUS does not believe that ferrets are suitable pets for most
> people.
 
   Must be a lot of special individuals out there.  Should we take this as
a compliment?
   In reality, it takes education and dedication to keep ANY animal as a
pet, from goldfish to whatever..
 
> From:    Hillary Gorman <[log in to unmask]>
> Subject: Re: vaccine induced rabies??????????
>...are there any vaccines on the market in the us that aren't killed virus?
   Well Hillary, there are more then one forms of vaccine out there.  It
is posible to give rabies to ferrets by giving them vaccine that was created
using ferret tissue, rather then chickens in the production..This goes for
distemper vaccine to, which should not be from ferret origin.  While today,
we have vaccines that are FOR ferrets, some areas lack access to this
vaccine and still use cat and dog vaccines for ferrets, which if they do, it
is important that they use killed vaccine and not modified live or live
vaccine as there have been cases where ferrets have gotten rabies from the
'wrong' vaccine.
   1985 in Michigan is the last case of vaccine induced rabies I can track
though, so it might be that in the USA, people are more careful to check and
see if a vaccine is safe for ferret use before using it..
[Posted in FML issue 1233]