First of all, to Debbie --regarding ear mites.  My vet up in Canada
prescribes and sells a solution of Ivomec/Propylene Glycol 10ml.  The
instructions are to instill a few drops (usually half a dropper full)
on each ear weekly, for four weeks.  I time this to coincide with each
weekly major cleaning of the cage and changing in bedding.  It seems to
work like a charm.
 
To somebody else, with regards to nutrition.  Yes, I use a mixture of 50/50
Iams Kitten and Totally Ferret (this one is both recommended and sold by
my vet) kibbles.  It seems to keep our fuzzies both quite happy and quite
active.  I'm quite surprised that nobody has yet chosen to have that Purina
death-mixture analyzed and then the company sued fit to bleed.
 
Finally, some mental meanderings on the legal status of ferrets.  I had
read a few issues ago the controversy on the FML and I found myself
agreeing with Bill.  Unlike children, ferrets remain dependant on their
owners all their lives; as things stand now, imperfectly, property seems
to be the appropriate designation.  But it could stand much improvement.
 
The problem with property IMO has to do with the issue of responsibility.
No owner is responsible to his/her property for its upkeep and proper care;
in theory s/he may do it with it as s/he chooses, either taking good care
of it, getting rid of it or smashing it to pieces.  In practice, where
animals are concerned, abuse can be reported of course, and investigated.
But unfortunately the word "property" still connotes mostly inanimate
goods.  I feel that in time a more enlightened attitude would differentiate
between unorganic and "live" property, with clearly delineated and
inequivocal responsibilities on the part of the owner towards the latter.
 
What brought these thoughts back to my mind, this morning while I was
playing with my fuzzies, were reminiscences of one pet store where we got
two of them.  We had talked to the manager repeatedly about the conditions
he was keeping ferrets in, yet from year to year there has been little
improvement.  For him, animals seem to be merely merchandise, a staple to
be sold for profit, at the minimum possible of maintenance cost, destined
to become a consumer's property.  The less he has to trouble himself about
it, the better.  Hence, if we see ferrets kept in substandard conditions
in his store again, we fully intend to report him to the SPCA and cause him
as much trouble as we possibly can, in the hopes that the path of least
resistance for him after that would be to provide better living conditions
for any fuzzies which he sells.
 
Cheers,
 
Jaime
[Posted in FML issue 2930]