In order of least controversial I guess...
 
Doug Scholtes commented on 8 lb. ferrets:
I've never seen a ferret that weighed 8 pounds either but I have one that
weighs real close to 7.  Kit hob "Fat Elvis, The Las Vegas Years".  Ask the
folks that saw him in New York at the Big Apple Ferret Fiesta.
 
Karen Marsh-Lovvorn asked about a destructive ferret:
Some might oppose this idea but is the ferret caged much?  My father's
ferret was a holy terror UNTIL he kept her caged much of the time.  She
wasn't at all interested in people and rather desctructive.  After she lived
in the cage a while she became more loving and less destructive.  She did
not become depressed or anything because of the confinement but suddenly
noticed that "outside time" meant "people time".  It worked for this ferret
person combination anyway.
 
Dominance games in ferrets:
I do not believe that ferrets really participate in dominance games like
canines.  Dogs and their wild cousins are pack animals.  Packs have a
dominance structure.  Ferret's wild cousins are solitary animals.  Solitary
animals have territorial disputes with the loser leaving not submitting.
Ferrets seem to fuss when they feel thier territory is violated - but I have
no idea how they define territory.  They sleep in clumps and feed
co-operatively (usually) but they seem to out of the blue decide that some
other ferret has "invaded".  Some ferrets fuss about others more but it
doesn't seem to me to be a dominance thing but more they are "pickier" about
"their space".  In dominance games the rivals usually pick the fight to
usurp the power of the chosen one, or the dominant ones defend their rights
of power from pretenders to the throne.  In the ferret tussles I see, it is
usually one ferret decides "this piece of cloth is mine, everyone else stay
away" or "I'm the mother and this ferret is mine to protect" (even if their
is absolutely no way the 3 year old jill is the daughter of the motherly 1
year old jill).  Watch the tussles more and see if I'm right or wrong, this
is only a supposition.  (BTW Fara Shimbo of FURO has said similar things
about no dominance in her ferrets.)
 
Modern Ferret vs. Ferrets USA vs. other ferret periodicals:
I number folks on all sides among my friends so this is even more tricky.
Why must the ferret world always eat their own?  If you don't like one
magazine, don't buy it.  Fara Shimbo wrote a scathing article about these
magazines in her editorial in FURO's Weasel Help Quarterly.  Why?  The three
journals have nothing in common in intent (except to reach the ferret
owner).
 
Ferrets USA (and its sister Critters) is primarily an advertising medium.
The articles are not as important.  (Not a slam on Pam or the other authors
as they have no control over the direction the magazine takes.) We've been
in contact with the publishers for a long time.  In all their letters and
calls to us never was the quality of the articles brought up by them.  Their
approach was to get us to buy advertising space.  (We did in effect with in
the Breeder's Digest sponsored ad - this is for full disclosure not a plug
for Zen.) Critters was very disappointing for content and Ferrets wasn't
much better.  As a source for advertising about ferret 'stuff' though it was
very good.  These are slick very professional magazines primarily meant to
get advertisers in front of consumers.  This is NOT a bad thing.  We get a
free 'professional courtesy copy' of these publications, I would probably
buy it anyway.
 
Modern Ferret is (in my eyes) obviously done by folks more intersted in
ferrets that anything else.  They use a 'hip arty' style that may not sit
well with some folks.  I personally (opinion again) think they have a good
artistic eye that is getting more polished with each issue.  Yes I have
problems with the magazine but I will deal with those directly with the
publishers.  (Again for full disclosure I've talked to Mary and Eric about
ways I can be involved but it is because of my liking the magazine rather
than my liking it because I might get involved.) This magazine is to my eyes
obviously put together on a rather small budget by overworked individuals
rather than a large corporation with deep pockets.  This again is neither
bad nor good it just is.  (See I do have a Zen philosophy on things...) I
subscribe and will continue to subscribe.
 
All of the other Ferret journals are little more than newsletters for
specific subsets of the ferret world.  We subscribe to many of these - many
are part of a membership in that group.  Because these are targetted
primarily to those most active in ferrets (evidenced by their membership in
the various organizations) they have a completely differnt purpose and hence
content.  I've mentioned Vickie McKimmey's Breeder's Digest before.  It is
of little use to the college student whho keeps a ferret hidden in the dorm
room.  it is invaluable to us ferret breeders.  Acme Ferret and LIFE's
Independant Voice has taken a different track.  It is primarily through
editorial track the "tabloid" journal of the ferret world (not trashy like
the National Enquirer though) in that it hits the flashiest 'news' and has
columns that are reminiscent of columns in some of these supermarket
newspapers.  It is not a bad newsletter, we subscribe (Hey Ann or Howard -
we're still missing our latest issue BTW) and will continue to.  Howard
Davis does tend to get deeper into some issues than any other journal.  The
AFA's American Ferret Report and FURO's Weasel Help Quarterly are more
traditional organization newsletter, both good.  Most of the local groups
have newsletters and groups like STAR* and Troy Lynn's Ferret Family
Services do as well.  These again are a bit more specialized.  STAR* is
primarily but not solely aimed at shelters.  We get quite a few of these as
well and intend to subscribe to more and more as we can.  None of these are
for everybody but everybody can find something sort of geared to them at
this point.
 
There is NOT a bad or evil ferret publication that I know of.  Some are
turning into republishers of the FML's greatest hits but these serve those
that don't do the "computer net thing".  Anti-capitalists can point to Fancy
Publications, but I see them as filling a different need.  Artistic
conservatives might not like Modern Ferret but I like the rough edges.
 
Can we get back to fighting for ferrets and not against other ferret folks?
I'd recommend directing (as we try to) comments about specific publications
to the publishers.
 
bill and diane killian
zen and the art of ferrets
[Posted in FML issue 1395]