This is for Drew and Theresa Hunter.  I read your letter replying to Drew on
Thursday. I think it would be great fun to have the ferret at the beach or
in a sandbox.  But yes there is a concern.
 
For those of you who have read Deborah Jeans book "A Practical Guide To
Ferret Care", look on page 89.  There you will see the bold title "NEVER
TAKE YOUR FERRET TO THE BEACH!!"  Not only can the salt water cause GI tract
disruption and extreme brain edema by ingesting, but also if it is a hot day
the ultraviolet intensity may predispose the animal to retinal damage and
dermal inflammation leading to sun responsive cancer.  Lastly, THE SAND
COULD CAUSE IMPACTION IF INGESTED.  So these things could obviously lead to
intestinal, eye, brain and skin problems for starters.  The hot sand can
also blister or burn your ferrets delicate paws.  This information Deborah
Jeans got from a Robert Pane D.V.M. of the South Kendall Animal Hospital in
Miami, Florida.
 
Now, I live in Canada and any beaches here are not that hot, but the
possible ingestion of the sand would still not be good.  Believe me, I would
love to take my Raiden to the beach, but since reading this information, I
don't think so......
 
 
Anybody with questions about this book, E-mail me!
 
Daralynn and Raiden (my furry rat)
[Posted in FML issue 1522]