Charlene asked about English ferret food:
We have three English ferrets brought over this year.  The normal opinion
is that the English ferret foods (cat foods) are NOT as good as the foods
over here.  Most of the breeders over there feed some raw meat since the
prepared foods are so bad.
 
[AC] in Massachusetts with possible ECE:
I'm not a vet so I can't comment too much on the disease itself but if
the same thing is affecting ferrets, and other animals it might be
something else, possibly environmental.  However, if you need to talk to
ferret folk in your area who have dealt with ECE I can forward mail on to
them.  With the legal restriction on the critters I can forward mail to and
from folks with out addresses until real trust was established.
 
Barbkitty asked about Pine shavings:
Simple answers on shavings -  Pine and Cedar = bad.  Aspen = good.
I haven't noticed ferrets sneezing from Pine shavings.  I have from clay
and other dusty litters.  I believe the pine and cedar oils have a slower
effect on the ferrets most of the time.
 
Sarahs comments on teeth scaling:
I'm afraid my opinions are a little different.  It is possible for ferret
owners to scale the teeth of their own ferrets reasonably safely.  Many of
the ferrets on the show circuits get their teeth scaled by their owners
(or more experienced friends also on the circuit) and I've not seen a
real mishap.  I have seen a mishap where someone reached into the mouth
of a yawning ferret and got bit something awful.  Since the ferret wasn't
really awake it didn;t know what was going on and the ferrets owner got
punctured by the canines while the ferret was trying to figure out what
was going on.  Careful with yawning ferrets.
 
Ferrets in South Carolina:
I know a ferret breeder/rescue operating in South Carolina.  They don't
want their name published on the internet at this point but I can forward
any need on to them.  These are really good folks that have definitely
shown themselves to be among the best ferret people in the country.  I'll
write more about them when they give me permission.
 
bill and diane killian
zen and the art of ferrets
[Posted in FML issue 1362]