Happy New Year to ALL~!

I have been having offline discussions with several people about
ferrets being allowed outside to play in the grasses and earth and/or
drinking out of water left outside. As some of you may remember, I
spent years walking my ferrets outside through the park and nearby
woods. I think it was a wonderful source of fresh air, new smells, and
enrichment. I gave up my work out time to make sure my little ones all
got out at least once a week. I took them out one at a time. We had
many many hours of delights.

BUT: as Monk said in one of his hysterical shows when he falls in love
with this toddler..."nature is dirty."

I LOVED that episode. Nature...durty, the little boy mimics. He
transitions into a wee Monk.

When I would write about my outdoor experiences...which were actually
plenty full...I would usually get a kind email to let me know the
dangers involved with my endeavors. Eventually, one of those warnings
came to fruition. . I spent many months and hundreds of dollars to get
rid of fleas. I only had 5 ferties at the time. I did not see the fleas
until a vet visit. Financially, it was a drawn out burden to be certain
they were gone from my home. Dreadfully expensive and Time Consuming.

Doctors Foster and Smith have a pet education site. Look under ferrets.
Heartworm, sarcoptic mange, ticks, fleas, and giardia to sicken and/ or
kill the babies are some of the reasons you do not want your companions
playing outside in nature. The words written here are so short and take
a second to say. The possible consequences if your ferret or ferrets
gets one of these short swift words is profound.

Enrichment: What I do for enrichment now is to have half a garage full
of various items that get swapped out. I change location of items, and
the way they are placed. I bring home boxes from Aldies or Sams club,
and put paper towels in them and blankets over them, and then a tube.

I move the box to a different room and put a sleepy sack in it. Then it
goes into recycling, and another box with new smells comes in the next
week. A room is closed off...which drives them crazy. Or they stay in
their cages for a day, and then go bizerk to be free roam again. I do
many other things. Get a board and make a slide. Put a sheet over your
chair and watch what happens. Put ice cubes in their water bowl.
Especially...I interact with them.

Feel free to disagree. We want our ferties happy and to give them the
most glorious adventures possible in their short lives. For you, the
outdoor enrichment outweighs the risks. I was there. That was my
stance. I utterly understand.

But in my old age, I have found that enrichment does not have to take
place outside. Secondly:Economically; I cannot afford to waste hundreds
of dollars because of fleas or a tick or heartworm. I am close to
retirement age. I will spend enough on Lupron, meds, surgeries, vet
visits, and expensive ferret kibble. I am not a millionaire.Thirdly:
Lovingly, I cannot afford to lose my little ones due to a mistake I
knew better than to commit. I cannot profess ignorance.

I have grown with experiences and your shared knowledge. In my humble
opinion, having the ferties outside where they could get heartworm,
sarcoptic mange, ticks, fleas, or giardia is a deadly gamble for me.
Walking on dirty dirt (LOL) or through the grasses with or without
standing water along the route is pretty much a thing of the past for
me. ( On the day I euthenized Goober, he sat outside, snuffled the
grass, and staggered a few steps before we left for the vets.)

Feel free to disagree. Folk in England seem to do perfectly well with
ferrets living outdoors. Their coats are probably gorgeous. I never
heard of parasites there. Maybe in England, nature is clean. LOL.

Happy New Year to all, whether you are an inny or an outy.!!

Lisette

[Posted in FML 6200]