Let me preface this by saying that I'd never watched the television show
"The Pet Shop" until it was pointed out a few days ago on the FML that
ferrets would be the central topic on the 11/17 show so I may be making
comments which aren't necessarily specific to that episode.
 
As I said, I watched the show and was more than a little disappointed.
The show seemed to be a total fluff piece and looked like it was focusing
more on Tiffany's experience with ferrets than on the whole ferret
picture.  While I appreciate the fact that there is a "celebrity" of sorts
that is actively enthusiastic about ferrets, I would have MORE appreciated
some deeper insight into the issues surrounding ferret ownership and the
ways that people enjoy ferrets (and the ways that ferrets enjoy ferrets).
For example, there was barely an allusion to the legal issues surrounding
ferret ownership in places such as New York.  It would have been better
"for the cause" if this were at least mentioned; I could have done without
Tiffany's history of ferret ownership, for example, in order to find the
time to bring that up.
 
I would have liked a greater discussion of the issues specific to ferret
care -- for example, ferret-proofing the home and careful selection of
toys.  I almost had a coronary when I heard that ferrets like "anything
that makes noise"; I had visions of dozens of neophyte ferret owners
purchasing rubber squeaky toys, followed by dozens of ferrets going to the
hospital with an intestinal blockage.  ("But they said on TV that ferrets
like toys that make noise!")
 
And what's with the mElange of different animals in the FOREGROUND the
show?  I mean, if this is a show that was focusing on dogs or cats or
parrots or whatever, I'd expect them to have other dogs or other cats or
other parrots or whatever.  But here's a show focusing on ferrets and in
the FOREGROUND we have dogs, cats, birds, chinchillas, hamsters... What
the heck?!?  Are they TRYING for Short Attention Span Theater?
 
To their credit, though, I WILL say that Tiffany looked nice (though she
put on a bit of weight since her Playboy appearance, *ahem*), and they did
bring up several issues which I thought were invaluable.  The mentioning
of issues such as ferret nutrition and general health (activity levels,
playtime, breeding issues, etc) and places such as Ferret Central were
invaluable additions to the program.  I still would have the show be less
"The Pet Shop with Tiffany's Ferrets" and more "The Pet Shop Focuses on
Ferrets", if you know what I mean.
 
And as a final note... They focused in on a cage of ferret kits which were
chewing on what appeared to be LARGE kibble chunks.  They seemed to be
going after them with great relish.  Anyone know what those things are?
[Posted in FML issue 3606]