Hi Everyone!
Yesterday i decided to make Bob C's chicken and gravy recepy, i figuered
what the heck, as long as it does not mencion torches and giant fish
heads....:)
 
I laughed so hard reading and imagining that scenario....!
 
so i got started with this new project, before i knew it i had chicken
splattered all over the kitchen and me, i had to cook some of the chicken
with the bones as my machine wouldn't grind them other wise, i used only a
small amount of water so nothing would go to waste, and it all turned out
pretty well, i mixed the gravy with a little bit of grinded Eukanuba
kitten, some ferretone and brewers yeast, also mixed a coupple of raw eggs
in the mix and a can of liver pate (what can i say...they love it!)
 
i didn't put any oat or metamucill, since Dumpy is lately eating less, and
i wanted to make sure there were most proteins and fat (he has insulinoma)
Are the oats meant as a filler, or is there a specific reason for it?  do
they need it as a nutrient, or fiber?
 
Good news is Dumpy loves it!  and eats more than usuall, the consistency is
perfect, Lucky was hesitant at first but soon started to lick it off my
finger and finished the bowl before i knew it, Today i am going to offer it
to Liza and Truls, it would be just wonderful to get them all to like it,
and give it regularly, the mess in the kitchen was well worth it!  although
i didn't even attempt that last difficult part that mencioned ziplock bags
but poured it right away in ice cube trays.....kind of chickened out......:)
 
On another note, i was wondering what kind of life ed lipinskys 42 ferrets
have, do you measure upp to your own standards Ed?  How many hours/day do
they get to come out and play?  How do you manage to give them personal
attention and interesting and stimulating activities?  are they kept in a
homelike enviroment where they can receive personal attention and love from
all family members?
 
And what was that about people surrendering a sick ferret need not bother
as in all likelyhood it will be killed?  does that mean all sick ferrets?
or do you sit and decide who gets treatment and who dies?  What is your
critteria on this?  i'd be interested to know how you determine who lives
and who dies, and how that stand qualifies you to operate a shelter, it
seems to me more like a ferret paund, a lot of people who turn to a shelter
and surrender their ferrets are people who do love their ferrets and want
them to find a good home, but are in a desperate situation, and may not be
able to do better.
 
I believe that most people that seek a shelter to adopt from have genuine
intentions (not all, but most) i also belive that during a normal interview
there is a lot of opportunity to educate someone less knowledgeable for
free, and although i agree that the best scenario would be a home with not
to young children, i belive it is the parents who are signing the adoption
papers, and as long as they understand the commitment and responsabilities,
they shouldn't autmatically be ruled out as a potentially good home.
invite them to come play with the ferrets, and watch the care procedures
instead, watch how they interact with each other, and how the parents allow
their children to handle animals.
 
I realize that setting the adoption standards is difficult, and sometimes
you have to go with your gut feeling and pray for the rest, even the most
knowledgeable, dedicated and concious person can sometimes have
difficulties dealing with life, and providing the ideal conditions for
their ferrets, and sometimes people you belived were perfect for having a
ferret, and had all the right answers, you find out is giving horrible
care.
 
You obviously are not to concerned to bother answering my e-mail to you
regarding the two ferrets currently living at a shelter here in Las Vegas,
that initially were adopted from your shelter and i wrote to you about, so
there is proof right here that despite your rigorous contracts it doesn't
always work out, doesn't bother you to think that maybee some of your
ferrets could have had good loving homes if you listened more to an
instinkt or gut feeling?  As much as i belive in good nutrition, and
accumulating as much knowledge as possible when dealing with any animal,
bottom line i think that the one most important thing for any animal is
love and good time spent with them.
 
Before i got Liza i knew nothing about ferrets, i bought one book and read
it, a week before bringing her home, we had a horrible time for months as
she turned out to be a serious biter, and drew blood at least once a day,
but i have learned soo much since, and she is still with me happy and
healthy as can be, and is as close to being a saint as she will ever be, no
biting anymore, only nips at play, and only because i play rough with her,
an ocassional toe nip....that's all.
 
Well i guess this post got a little long, but i thought i'd throw in my two
cents on the issue, i hope you all could bare with me.
 
Sincerely
Josephine
[Posted in FML issue 2628]