I just got the *coolest* book.  "Working Ferrets" by Jackie Drakeford.  A
friend of mine just came back from the UK and she brought me this book as a
gift for taking care of her two for a week.
 
It is incredibly neat to see ferrets treated both as a pet and as the animal
they were originally domesticated as.  The writer mentions over and over
again how ferrets are a domestic animal, how much she loves and admires them
and that even the sweetest pet ferret can be a rather efficent hunter.  She
also talks about how she feels about breeding back to European Polecats (she
thinks it is not nessesary) and that altered and rescue ferrets are fine
hunters too!
 
I know some people might be offended at the idea of their little sweety
attached snout first to a rabbit but I think it is important to understand
the history of our favorite pet (explains some of their behavior).  Besides,
I don't think we have the same sort of problems with an out of control
rabbit population as the UK and Australia do - so our ferrets need not hunt,
except squeaky toys, our keys and socks.
 
Ann
[Posted in FML issue 2184]