I know I responded very negatively to the 'All ferrets are biters' post, and
immediately posted a message to the FML expressing my feelings.
 
Now, however, after reading all the responses over the past 2 days, I
realize how 'tunnel visioned' I have become about my ferts and what they do
or won't do.  It has been a very eye-opening reading session, and, actually,
a major response topic I have actual enjoyed reading.
 
We all know the 'kill and test' response ferrets get from many states.  What
about other animals?  Here in Reno, a somewhat popular little pet store
animal is the Dwarf Asian Hamster.  They are cute, clean, and little
busy-bodies.  They are also nasty.  Period.  They bite.  Hard too.  It is
their nature to bite.  Yet..I have yet to hear of one being confiscated by
any agency after a bite.  I called Nevada's Wildlife agency and asked who to
complain to after I had been bitten by one of these little monsters.  They
~laughed~ and asked if I were serious.  I then asked them if they would
laugh if I said the animal that bit me was a ferret.  THAT was another
story.  'They' are wild animals (This from our version of Fish and Game) and
wild animals carry rabies.  My my, how informative they were.  I called
their (Nevada Wildlife) chief enforcement officer, whom I have worked with
before on reptile collection, and will discuss it with him when I get a
return call.  Such 'factual information' from an agency that is supposed to
know something about 'wildlife' is inexcusable.
 
I truly believe that much of the misinformation about ferrets isn't
necesarily purposely distributed, rather is a product of the old, 'if it
sounds good, it must be true' type of thinking.  Unfortunately, we humans
have a tendency to subscribe to this type of rationale.  And........
established predjudice is a tough nut to crack.
 
Just remember, emotion is our biggest enemy in our war of truth about
ferrets.  Leave it out and speak from the mind.  Our fuzzy partners will be
the better for it!
 
Joe, the rude one.
[Posted in FML issue 2190]