To Bob Nixon:
 
I'm sure you're going to get lots of other responses to your posting, but
here's my $.02 anyway.
 
1.  Wendy Winstead says it best:  Don't ever say "Ferrets can't..." or
"Ferrets won't...".  I also have a ferret that leaps great distances.  In
fact Cooper (named for D.B. Cooper fame - he was the first skyjacker in
the early 70's who parachuted out of a plane with about $200,000) jumped
from a 2nd floor apartment and was found 5 blocks away.  Even though we
were able to find the owners, I persuaded them to let me buy him since we
had become so attached to him in the 5 days prior.  Cooper jumps straight
up onto the arm of the sofa with the greatest of ease; none of my other
ferrets even come close.
 
2.  I commend you for being a responsible ferret owner and
ferret-proofing your home.  You said you let your ferrets in the back
yard.  I guess that means that you have ferret-proofed the back yard as
well.  You have put chicken wire around the bottom of the yard
so they can't dig out, right?  And, most important, you have covered the
area with a netting, right? Hawks and owls would consider unsupervised
ferrets in the back yard (even in cities) to be a choice morsel.
 
3.  I have 3 silvers that have a few black hairs (very close to black eyed
whites).  All 3 are used as ferret goodwill ambassadors and dozens of
kids handle them when we go to public events.  None of them have ever
laid a tooth on anyone.  In fact, all 3 are the most loving, gentle, and
predictable creatures I own.  Of the 11 ferrets I own, these 3 are the
best pets.  I think that your opinion is more bias than actual fact.  I
personally do not like the looks of red-eyed whites and will not own
one, but this is my own bias.  I know of several red-eyed whites that
are great pets, but I just don't want one.
 
4.  I share your opinion about dressing up ferrets.  However, if others
want to dress up their ferrets, I'm sure there is no harm done.  There is
no 100% correct way to have a companion pet.  I think that if the animal
is getting attention, then that is much better than being neglected (and
there is way too much of neglect in the world.)
 
5.  I have now owned ferrets for 6 years.  I own 11 at the current time.
I am certainly no expert and I don't think that anyone who has owned
ferrets for "only" 8 years can be either.  The reason I say that is
because there is so much individuality in ferrets.  I think you need to
spend some time in a shelter helping them and getting to know more about
ferrets.  Then you would understand that ferrets CANNOT LIVE IN THE WILD
period. Of my 11 ferrets, 5 were rescued from being "in the wild." Amber
was, however, left in a 8 inch x 8 inch x 5 inch cage behind a tree in a
park and was found by a park ranger.  Cooper (discussed above) was
cornered by a dog in a back yard.  He had lost half his body weight in 3
days because he was unable to feed himself.  Smokey probably had only
been loose for a couple of days since she was in decent shape except for
the thick tar on her feet.  Baron von Ferret was found wandering a city
street but was near death from dehydration. If he could fend for himself,
don't you think he could find lots of water? But Roxie was the real sad
story.  When she was found in a park, she had an upper respiratory
infection, a bot fly larvae on her stomach which required surgery to
remove, and was severely emaciated and dehydrated. Roxie recovered, but
she was very, very lucky.  I have yet to see a ferret that was turned
into the shelter that was "thriving" in the wild. Call your local shelter
and I think they will confirm this or, better yet, give them some of your
time and learn something about ferrets.  Talk to me after you have
donated 500 hours of time to a shelter.  I think you will have changed a
lot of your opinions.
 
To Chris Lewis:
 
You are right.  Many people cannot tell ferrets from minks from other
members of the same family.  Our shelter has had many "ferrets" turned in
this year including 3 minks and 2 ermine along with dozens of true ferrets.
Mink and ermine are native to the Portland, Oregon area which surprises
many people.  When we received a call recently from the Humane Society to
get a "ferret" from a business, I was lucky enough to respond.  It was a
gorgeous (healthy) mink who was confused by the buildings with windows
going to the ground.  (By the way, mink have a white crescent under their
chin - if you can get that close to them.)  When I told the Humane Society
of their error they were extremely surprised that there were such critters
left in our over-populated area!
 
Sorry this is so long. That was more than $.02 worth!
 
        - Carla Almaraz
 
[Mink and ermine are "native" almost everywhere in North America.
They're just really good at hiding.  Like the time we rescued a Least
Weasel from a pool skimmer in the middle of Toronto (see earlier issues
of the FML).  Which is a lot bigger than Portland, and has a lot less
wild area around it.  I'll never forget, though, about the person on
rec.pets insisting that wild ferrets were overrunning their area and
killing all their chickens and ducks.  Absolutely, totally, completely
convinced it was those damn ferrets.  Citing all sorts of local
"experts" and farmers on the true nature of the culprits.  I ask "have
you had a good look at one?", "Yes", she says, "managed to shoot one".
"What colour was it?" I ask.  "All over dark brown" she says.  "That's
a mink you dimwit!".  Sigh...]
[Posted in FML issue 0965]