Benita asked if it is possible to train U.S. ferrets to leave plants alone
when admonished.  The answer is "Yes."; it's just easier sometimes to go
with methods which keep the ferrets away.
 
One IMPORTANT thing: don't assume that all houseplants are safe.  Some are
poisonous, others have tiny spikey growths in them which can cause the
esophagus and trachea to swell -- sometime to the point of closing.  $10
spent on a book which lists poisons and approaches can save your critters,
your human family, and maybe even you.  The poison control center is listed
in your phone book.  Could someone repost the number for the 900 calls to
the veterinary poisoning place?
 
About the little ferret with the jaw surgery.  If the tumor was benign and
the ferret just needs to recuperate from surgery, have some teeth reduced to
prevent ulceration, and move to wet or soft food why would you consider
euthanasia?  Please, be reassured that a ferret's life is so much MORE than
hard crunchies, so certainly there would be more than enough happiness ahead
for the little one.  In a few months you'll be wondering why you thought you
ferret would stop having fun.  Heck, everyone has something go wrong
sometime in life; that's normal, no matter what the species, right?
Usually, there turns out to be so much more to enjoy that the loss only gets
an occasional bit of wistfulness after a time.
 
Rich, Hjalmar used to love citrus fruits.  What he liked best was for me to
get into a bath and then float slices of fruit around me.  He'd use me as
his "dock" (or barge <G>?) and fish for them, eat what he wanted and feel
like the most spoiled boy in the world.  The oils and acids in them
meanwhile helped my skin.  Not a bad cooperation.
 
Clare and Bill, of course Borders has ferret toys.  Our ferrets have used
books as toys for years, and with about 7,000 books here (Okay, about a
third of those are in the basement), they have quite a collection...
 
Flame-baiting: the action of bringing e-mail blows down upon oneself,
undertaken by those to whom real conversation or actual blows would be
abhorrent, but who want to find a way to spark a large reaction without
developing the self-discipline to do so in a constructive fashion.  See:
waste (subset -- of your time)
[Posted in FML issue 2136]