Thanks so much, Ilena, for straightening out anyone who assumed that the
vaccine situation was the same now as in the past.  One of the exciting
things and heartening things to never forget is that veterinary approaches
are improving all the time.  The improvements include that in the U.S. the
vaccines used in recent years are safe, not something which had always been
true in the past.  This revelation points out the importance of having
valid information and of making sure that a source used has accurate data.
 
DO get those ferrets vaccinated, folks, unless the vet considers their
health too poor, or unless there is history of anaphylatic reactions which
causes your vet to advise against it for that specific individual.  If your
ferret even has a child accidently get scratched, or an elderly person bump
into something and get cut (as happened once and since it couldn't be
proven whether it was the cage or the ferret's canines or claws struck the
ferret died despite court challenges), or if you just live in one of few
remaining anti-ferret places then your little one could die needlessly.
Having proof of vaccination protects your ferret and may save your ferret's
life!!!!!!!!!!  Never forget that!  There is now the Compendium of Animal
Rabies Control on your ferret's side.  Not all states completely honor the
document, but even in those locations it will be a powerful help in any
court case if (when) another arises -- but only if the ferret is
vaccinated!  You have to do your part.
 
Many mammals eat insects, in fact, it may be that most eat some here and
there as a minor part of the diet.  (Yep, even grazing herbivores take in
some with their veggies.)  Has anyone looked at the proportion insects play
in polecat diets -- accidental ingestion, a few taken purposefully, more?
If more has any place tried personally raised mealworms?  Wondering if the
undigestible exoskeltons would cause a problem in large numbers, or might
even be useful instead.
 
Still waiting to hear if anyone in Connecticut has looked up the recent
numbers on loose ferrets there.  How about the other things cited by that
vet which didn't mesh with reality?  Anyone manage to find any ACTUAL
REFERENCES?  The Carleys and their group have compiled a marvelous 355 page
book available with documentation which tackles these sorts of issues.
There's a letter from the '80s from the appropriate naturalist in
Connecticut stating that there are not have not been any feral ferrets.
There's a shocked letter from MA saying that CA F&G pretty well invented
their claim that feral ferrets there have preyed on shorebirds (In a nut
shell CA F&G asked a lot of leading questions along the line of "Well, if
someone let a ferret loose in a colony or rare whatevers and it began
killing some what would you do?" and then CA F&G declared that it had
happened even though it had NOT.  There's a JAVMA article on bite rates
in there.  The NYC Council Woman was sent this reference in full and also
later was alerted to the sections that rebuff the individual's claims, plus
was sent a note on which sections directly apply to the letter as well as a
copy of the 1999 Compendium of Animal Rabies Control and ACIP Human Rabies
Prevention document.  Scott's right, it is essential to recheck the feral
claim in relation to Connecticut (especially the cities, given the letter's
emphasis and focus) NOW; so has anyone in CT done that?  If so, could you,
please, post and also write directly (complete with name of contact, phone
number used, person's title, person's address, etc.  as well as the
response).  If not, PLEASE, could you do so?  Anyone find any refs on the
rest of that man's claims?  BTW, just the original printing of the Carley
text cost around $25 each, then there is shipping, etc.  If you NEED it for
a local fight (It's well worth the money to help save you a lot of time and
hardship) please, be happy that it's such a bargain.
[Posted in FML issue 2758]