>From:    [log in to unmask]
>Subject: concerning bites
>... chat with my USDA agent.  During our conversation he brought up
>"imported" ferrets.  In particular he mentioned the Swedish ... (Angora)...
>So be aware there are imported ferrets destroying all the hard work we've
>done in getting the public and our states recognize our ferrets as sweet
>and gentle pets.
 
Well, I'm awfully sorry that people are having bad experiences with the
Swedish fuzzies, but I have to say that my experience with them has been
only positive.  My Slater Gator is a bundle of fun and energy and loves
nothing more than to play with his mum for hours on end.  Granted, he's not
the kissiest, cuddliest of ferrets but I trust him more than some of my
Hagens.  And my friend's lovely Dweezil is the kissiest, most gentle fuzzy
around.  I don't have a bad thing to say about either of them.
 
I do notice they seem to be more energetic and seem to require more playtime
than many of my other ferrets.  Perhaps the people who are getting bitten
just aren't giving them enough of a chance to run off that excess energy.
We all know that stressed animals are more inclined to bite or be
aggressive.  I know, too, that they are rather outrageously priced in the
pet stores, so perhaps they aren't getting sold all that quickly and
remaining unhandled in pet stores.  Most ferrets who spend a major portion
of their lives in pet stores come out with a tendancy to *chomp* people, so
that might explain it in part too.
 
I just thought I'd offer an alternative perspective.  I enjoy my Slater
Gator a whole lot and wouldn't trade him for anything.  Some of the kits
I've been seeing in pet stores recently, however, are another matter
altogether ...
 
Happy Ferreting,
 
Sheena - [log in to unmask]  | "To Err is Ferret ... To Forgive|
VP - Greater Vancouver      | "... Well, That's Our Job"      |
     Ferret Association      (Wherret Web Pages Coming Soon!)
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[Posted in FML issue 2049]