Well guys, thanks for all the private (and public) posts offering info on
my ferret questions.  I think this is going to be a lot of fun!
 
So, it seems there is a really good chance that operant conditioning will
work will with a ferret, and that I will be able to provide a diet that is
natural and still balanced, but still have a commercial option that sounds
very good in Totally Ferret.
 
Now I have two more questions to trouble you nice folks with.
 
1. My ferret(s) will be staying in a cage when we're not around to
supervise, so I want their home to be a roomy and comfortable one.  I have
seen something called a Marshall Penthouse at the Ferret Store, which seems
to be the biggest.  Is that made by the Marshall farms people, and if so
should I be supporting the sale of ferrets to the pet store trade by buying
one?  Opinions please!  :-) Any better ideas for a very nice ferret house?
 
2. As soon as the new cage arrives, I can begin to look for my new
addition(s).  I have (tentatively) decided to try to find a pair of
ferrets, with the emphasis on temperament and not looks or age.  It seems
there are many "ferrets with friends" looking for a home, and since two are
more fun than one, well, why not?  Does anyone have any input on finding a
reputable shelter?  I would be willing to drive 4 hours or so, so anything
within a few hundred miles of say, Louisville, Kentucky would be good.  (I
live in a small town about an hour south of Louisville, and no, there are
no ferret laws...heck, we don't even have a leash law here..)  Any ideas?
There aren't any shelters in Kentucky on the lists, so I'm getting a little
out of my area and don't want to mess this up.  I did find a contact name
in Kentucky, so I'm contacting that lady, but I'd like to talk to a couple
of different people.
 
Thanks again for all your kind help.
 
Kristina Pattison
Kristina P. and the pack,
U-CDX Kristina's Own Zowie, CDX, TT, HIC*, and 1/3 AD
(cocker boy, futility star, and herding wanna-be,
even if the AKC doesn't want him to be) "Zoo"
Kristina's Own Frannie Frekl, CD
(cocker girl, full-time old bat)  "Frannie"
Delta's Bumpy Ride to K.O., CD
(crazy black standard poodle boy)  "Turbo"
and the baby, Sunset and K.O.'s Final Frontier, HIC
(super-terv, the herding machine)  "Jean-Luc"
[Posted in FML issue 2455]