Hi All,
 
1st to Greg - I gotta be honest about litterbox training here, I think it
is really more that WE have to become litterbox trained rather than the
ferrets!!!  LOL!!!  But really the ONLY thing that seems to work for me is
to have tons of litterboxes around and to tile underneath them for any
"almost made it" accidents!  I'm curious about which your roomates would
dislike the most, more litterboxes or constantly finding doody or piddly in
the floor????  My vote would be for more litterboxes.  Have you actually
discussed it with them?  They might surprise you!  ANYONE I talk to about
ferrets I tell that litterbox training is purely up to the individual
ferret.  Some are great and NEVER go anyplace else while others are not so
great and go anywhere but there!  I also don't believe in giving false
info.  to someone considering having a ferret in their family.  Everything
I had heard suggested that they would be easy to train and really great at
using the litterboxes, boy did I learn fast that was wrong!  Some of mine
are real good about it and others absolutely defiant about it but none of
them are 100%!
 
To Anna - Just a question regarding the name list.  Is this list suppossed
to be ONLY the ferret's names you have as a part of your family, or is this
to include all ferrets you have ever had, foster ferrets, ferrets in a
shelter you are associated with and also just any name you love that you
have ever thought of?????  I ask only because I notice some owners with
tons of names when we know they don't actually have that many ferrets at
the present time.  Not trying to be a b--ch or anything but I would like to
know the exacts of the list.  THANKS By the way the 8 names under my name
are actual living ferrets that will be my children until the day they sadly
pass over the Rainbow Bridge!!!!
 
OK, now I've decided to throw in my two cents worth on the subject of
declawing....  I feel really bad for some of the situations people find
themselves in but couldn't most of these situations have been avoided if
they had considered all the facts about that particular animal in the 1st
place????  I have never had a cat but even I know they can scratch people,
kids, babies etc...  also that they will claw to death your furniture,
carpet etc....  So if this is a problem for you then why did you ever get a
cat????  Same goes for ferrets, if you bother to do ANY research on this
lovely little critter BEFORE you buy one then you will know to expect some
possibly "not so nice" habits from them!  If you have white carpets and
furniture and are a neatness/cleaness freak for ex.  then for God's sake
don't have ANY animals.  You can't expect them to conform to your wishes
since they have no concept of this!  I knew a couple that had the cutest
little dog but they told me their former neighbors couldn't stand it's
barking so THEY HAD IT DEBARKED!!!!!!  This was one of the most cruel things
I could imagine.  Everytime I went over there and saw this dog trying like
mad to bark it's poor little head off and nothing was coming out, I mean
zip/nada/nothing!!!!, it just made me want to cry!  I was sooooooo angry at
them.  If you live in an apartment or the like then quiz your neighbors
about possible reactions before you just run out and purchase an animal!!!!
If you are not willing to put the time, effort, love and caring into
accepting the animal the way they ARE then DON'T GET IT!!!!!!  I have
absolutely NO sympathy for people who purchase animals w/o ever reading a
book on them or asking questions!  I don't have the time nor the want to
listen to their whining about why they wish they had never gotten the
animal!  It seems it would be pretty obvious even to a moron (and no I am
not calling anyone in particular a moron!) that any animal with claws is
going to use them sometime in some way!  If this is a problem then DO NOT
buy an animal with claws!  There are tons of choices out there for pets so
pick one you can live with just the way they are!!!!!!!!  Nuff said!
 
*****************************************************
*          Kelleen & The INSANE Animal House        *
*          [log in to unmask]                           *
*          President & Founder of                   *
 
*F.A.N.G. - Ferret Association of Neverending Glee  *
*Location : Boise, Idaho                            *
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*I'll take a good animal over a good mate anyday,   *
*all THEY want is lots of love and great chow!!!!   *
 
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[Posted in FML issue 1360]