Seen many comments about biting ferrets as abused ferrets and we have a
different belief.
 
You can often tell an abused dog by its behavior - not a snarling and
biting but at its cowering - tail tucked, head lowered and hiding behind
anything it can.  A snarling biting dog is less often abused than it is
badly trained.  Taunting and teasing trains dogs to act that way.
 
Ferrets in our experience seem to respond the same way.  Those ferrets that
are "vicious" to people are those that act like they just haven't been
trained how to deal with people.  Ferrets that lash out ot other ferrets
are those that have not been around those ferrets.  Not those that were
abused.  The most abused ferrets we've taken in were among the most docile
and submissive.  The abuse is normally their training to "be good".
 
We've had much better luck with ferrets when we approach them from that
belief.  Kits bite more than adults because they haven't had as much
training with people.
 
>From:    Edward Lipinski <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: Bleeding from all her orifices . . . Really? (A resubmit)
 
Ferrets dying from anemia do not bleed.  The problem is a lack of blood
cells.  The symptoms include ashen whiteness.  No apology is necessary from
someone who made that simple error.
 
Whole females get as pets can get the same uterine infections that breeders
have to deal with.  This along with the aplastic anemia leads us to support
spaying of female ferrets.
 
Male ferrets whether fully intact or vasectomized will go through rut.
While not in estrus they are unable to service females in need to induce
either a false or real pregnancy.  Woe is the female that gets out of sync
with any males to help her.
 
Male ferrets in rut just plain smell.  They bathe in urine.  They slime
(mark territory with urine).  They are even more intolerant of other males
even to the point of vicious attacks.  When really vicious the attack on
the other male will be aimed at the rivals reproductive organs.
 
We highly recommend pet ferrets as well as dogs and cats be spayed and
neutered.
 
bill and diane killian
zen and the art of ferrets
http://www.zenferret.com/
mailto:[log in to unmask]
[Posted in FML issue 2438]