Hi...  I spotted this reply from Bill Killian and would like to add a
couple comments..
 
>>From:    Sc Ellis-Blackwell <[log in to unmask]>
>>Subject: Disaster Pointers/Need Lighting Advice
>>A while back I had posted looking for advice for improving the lighting
>>conditions for my boys.  Alas, I received none.  I am still interested in
>>hearing of particular regimens or protocols people may follow, and really
>>any input is welcomed.
>
>Dayna Frazier should perhaps answer this as she knows more about this than
>us.
 
******* Part of the regimen I use for my fuzzys involves the use of a set of
lights originally designed for providing appropriate indoor lighting for
plants..  I use a shop light [about $8.00] and two 4 foot flourescent tubes
by OTT [$9.95 ea.].  These lights are so superior in imitating natural
sunshine they will grow orchids indoors.  I use a simple timer [$4.50] to
turn the lights on and off each day..  sooo..  for under $35.00 I have as
close to natural phtoperiods every day as I can arrange..  I adjust the
timer each month to whatever the day length is for that month of the yr.
 
Now..  why bother?  why go to all that trouble and expense?   We are
diurinal mammals just like fuzzys..  and we NEED sun light to be healthy..
even our mental health begins to suffer if we are deprived of UV light for
a prolonged period of time..  I have found that ferrets are more alert,
have far less health problems, heal far faster, are more active, are far
less often found to have temperment problems, eat and digest their food
much better, and have better coat color and condition when exposed to this
lighting system... btw.. people have a very positive response to this
lighting system as well..  I substituted these lights for regular ones in
an office set up a while back and the changes in the people were dramatic!
 
I do rescue/shelter stuff.. and most of the ferrets I have seen have been in
trouble of one type or another.. they respond better and recover from any
medical problems far better and faster under these lights and using this
timing system than any other one by a thousand percent..  that's all the
reason I ever needed to use these lights..
 
What never ceases to amaze me is how the ferrets will actually seek out the
lighted areas and then bask like a lizard on a flat rock under them..  they
stretch and wiggle and snooze...
 
This lighting system is one part of the regimen I am using on the adrenal
fuzzys that are reversing the course of adrenal disease and getting well..
 
hope this helps..
 
dayna and the MMOMM shelter fuzzys..
[Posted in FML issue 2034]