I read the post in regards to ferrets and beaches and would like to respond
with my opinion.  I live on the beautiful Chesapeake Bay and I enjoy taking
my ferrets on a leash to the beach to play.  I do not recommend doing this
during the summer in the heat of the day - we go either before 9 am or after
7 pm.  I will usually take two with me and we go swimming in the ocean
together and then come out of the water and dig in the sand!  I recommend
bringing towels, bottled water & a bowl, a ferret carrying sack, some food,
a squeak toy that the ferrets answer to, and PLAY!!  Be careful with dogs on
the beach, because I have a problem with them being off a leash and not
under control, and one of my ferrets last year almost caught a pigeon on the
wing (YUCK!!!  Sasha, how could you?!?!) I enjoy the outdoors and most of my
ferrets do, too - they get very excited when I open the closet door that all
the leashes are hanging on - the war-dancing of the chosen ferrets and the
disappointment of the ones who were not.  Anyway - I do not see any reason
not to take them as long as you are prepared.  Since I live on the beach, I
don't use a carrier to get them there, but if you do, use the blue-ice stuff
or a frozen water bottle in the carrier just to keep the ferrets comfy.
Happy Ferreting!
[Posted in FML issue 1637]