>From:    Nancy C Tubb <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: Ferrets and birds
>Any ferret owners out there have experience with ferrets and pet birds -
>particularly parrots or birds larger than a canary or budgie?
 
My fuzzy Loki has been around birds - a Blue Front Amazon and a cockatiel -
and pretty much ignores them.  The one time she showed any interest was when
the Amazon, Regi, was in a smaller travel cage that I had moved to the couch
for a moment.  Loki assumed that the cage was a ferret jungle gym and so up
she went, much to Regi's dismay.  Naturally I grabbed her and immediately
moved Regi UPUPUP.  But Loki had not given one look at the bird, even while
he was "growling" at her for climbing on his cage.
 
From the bird and ferret experience I have (and we've had both for quite
some time) they pretty much ignored each other.  Even when the cages were
taken down for cleaning the ferret would happily try to get into the garbage
bag instead of the cage, of course the birds kept an eye on the ferret, but
they kept an eye on everything.  And I personally know that an Amazon or
bigger bird knows how to use his/her beak in defense.  And any animal that
can crack open a steak bone like that has my respect (and probably the
fuzzies' respect as well)
 
Hope this helps
chris
Loki - what bird mom?
[Posted in FML issue 1844]