>From:    Roger Mcmillian <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: I've gone to the dogs, sort of.
>Anyone else have experiences with ferrets and small dogs (preferably
>shelties).
 
Back a few years when I only had one ferret and room-mates one of them had a
sheltie.  The Sheltie and the ferret were best buddies.
 
At that time I was using a very large handmade cage that was low to the
floor.  The dog would spend as much time in it as the ferret.
 
Another dog that was probably sheltie mix - similar markings and size but
with some terrier was just as good with the ferret(s) - I'd gotten another
by that point.
 
Nothing funnier than watching the ferrets climb the dogs with the long hair.
 
Currently we have Pomeranians and German sheperds.  Other than a frustrated
sheperd trying to HERD the ferrets everything is fine for us.
 
>From:    Graham Cooke <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: working and pet ferts in UK
 <AND>
>From:    Sheila Crompton <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: Pets/Working one and the same?
 
I'm quite fascinated with the stories You Brits are telling.  I have some
English ferrets that were imported last summer and find them somewhat
different.  MUCH higher energy levels.  Thats right the rest of you
Americans - your ferrets are slow and lazy compared to these.  All of us who
got the English and the kits from them have noticed this.  They are a bit
smaller - my understanding is that that is associated with being small
enough for rabbit holes.
 
We got two poleys and a sandy (two sables and a champagne).  Through trades
with the other breeders we now have a descendant of the (in)famous Peter
Polecat of James McKay as well.
 
I'm not entirely convinced that it is just genetic problems in the US but
these and the Swedish (and Russian) ferrets we brought in will let us study
them.  If they do have the same levels of problems we will have to analyze
the environmental factors as well.
 
Please keep telling us about the ferrets over in the UK!
 
>From:    Habitat <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: eggs, medieval ferrets, ear-cleaning and bedding
>He said that in those times, falcons and falconing was the sport of kings,
>but ferrets were the pet of the commoners (he does the renaissance festivals
>and uses his ferrets as part of his costume).
 
I'm not quite sure about that.  There are more paintings of falcons which
supports that but there are enough with ferrets (mislabeled as ermines and
such) that I suspect that ferrets were in all homes to catch mice.  Cats
were associated with witches (not to stir up the silly Wiccan problem, I'm
just using a historical perspective) and more feared.
 
>From:    "Brown, Peter M." <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: Linatone?
 
Linatone is linatone.  Ingredients are listed the same.  Ferretone is
very very close as well.  We use them interchangebly.
 
>From:    MISS MEGAN J WISDOM <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: sick brits
>They explained that there is more inbreeding here in the States which
>causes the diseases and early deaths.
 
I doubt this part.  I can be convinced of the other.  There is a larger
population pool in the United states.  It is less necessary to in-breed
since there are more ferret partners to choose from.  The breeders I work
with avoid in-breeding many generations back.  The English ferrets we
imported didn't even have pedigrees so it is impossible to know if there was
any in-breeding.  This is not a cross ocean slam as there are many Americans
who don't keep pedigrees on their ferrets either just as I am sure some
English breeders are as careful as the most careful Americans.
 
bill and diane killian
zen and the art of ferrets
http://www.zenferret.com/
mailto:[log in to unmask]
[Posted in FML issue 1641]