Well folks now I have returned.  Some people tried to quiet me down but did
not succeed completely.  I'll try to get back into the normal swing of
things.  I don't think BIG would allow me to explain here on the list.  I
will in personal email if anyone cares.
 
>From:    Joshua J Campbell <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: Kitty Pine Litter
>A couple of weeks ago, there was this big discussion over the pine litter
>pellets and the use for ferts.  Did we ever come to an answer?
 
If you mean Pine Fresh brand, we highly recommend it.  We normally use wood
stove fuel pellets which are very similar compressed sawdust but made of
hard wood.  We personally aren't real pleased with Litter Green brand but
I've heard others say they like it.  Neither of these is the pine chips
which are not recommended for medical reasons.
 
>From:    Tracy & Aaron McAlpine <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: Potatoes as snacks
>Does anybody know if potatoes are particularly good or bad for ferrets?  I
>... I think I'm going to try to cut down to smaller pieces.
 
You answered it perfectly yourself.  Small tidbits are fine.  Large chunks
that displace too much good nutritious (from a ferret point of view) are bad.
 
>From:    Htm <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: Have a Problem?
>...Seems my baby has a lump or knot above her belly and at the top of her
>rib cage.  I noticed it alittle while back and it seem to be just a bone I
>thought or something that I would think of as being normal.
 
Are you trying to describe a bony lump right on the sternum?  Obviously from
just a description I can't be sure but it is not uncommon to have a bony
lump there.  But you description (unquoted) of its coming and going sounds
more like the flexing of the rib cage.  When the chest of the ferret expands
and contracts particularly with bending the body sometimes the ribs are
forced to overlap a bit.  Most of the tumors I've felt are unlike bones.
Solid but more massive and round than the thinner bones that tend to have
edges and such.  Try holding your ferret with your fingers on the lump and
see if flexing the rib cage affects it.  Check with vets to be sure.  I am
not a vet.
 
>From:    "Mason T. Weinrich" <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: Angora Ferrets?
>I was in a NH pet shop last night, and saw something I had never seen
>before - Angora ferret kits!  These guys were adorable and were huge for
>8-week old critters.  The person there said they came from Germany, were
>typically 6-8 lbs when full grown, and were very bright.
 
To save Lars from having an appearance of advertising I'll try to answer
these.  He told me he had a contract with a pet store in NH.
 
>1) Does anyone know how inbred these critters are?
 
No more than any other ferrets.  Angora bred to angora does not yield
Angora so they can not be too inbred or you lose the long hair.
 
>2) Are the store's claims true?
 
Sweden not Germany.  6-8 sounds too heavy.  I believe they are the same
sizes as the rest of the Swedish ferrets.  Mine are about the same size as
the German, Russian and American lines and a bit larger than the English
which are still bred for hunting.  All ferrets are bright - well most.  I
would dis-believe the odor statement.
 
>3) Does anyone have other experience with Angora ferrets?
 
I've met a couple of Lars's personal pets, and they were beautiful animals.
Slightly funny noses but very nice.
 
>From:    Kyyreen <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: Raisin Juice?
>8-in-1 food claims to have "Raisin Juice" in it...What we want to know
>is...How do you get Raisin Juice?
 
Same way you get celery juice and carrot juice.  Squeeze them real hard.
Might sort of cheat and mix water with ground up raisins too.
 
bill and diane killian
zen and the art of ferrets
[log in to unmask]   [log in to unmask]
http://www.zenferret.com/
 
Notice the new address for the web pages for all you web heads and email
address for anyone who wants to write.  My old service provider sold off his
subscribers so we moved.  Old address will be forwarded for while.
[Posted in FML issue 1601]