One of the basic facts in relation to bites from pet animals in general is
that in the overwhelming number of such cases there has been pet abuse or
neglect, and very often child neglect or abuse as well.  Not surprising
that in such instances a child or an animal wouldn't know how to behave and
may even harbor jealousy (perhaps to an extended group).  Unless we can
stop child and pet abuse we can't stop pet attacks from ANY type of pet,
but the ferret stats (per capita pet type) remain safer than for some other
types of common pets (including dogs).  There are always going to be jerks
out there who don't separate animals from infants.  Now sometimes that is
easier said than done; my mother used to put me out in the playpen and find
that assorted animals would climb in with me and I'd be calmly playing with
a garter snake one day, sleeping with my head on a neighbor's cat the next,
etc.  (She was very upset by such interactions for till I was maybe 8 or 10
and she then accepted how I feel about critters.) Still, with pet ferrets
it's easy enough to use a good cage with an extra clip on the door(s),
dutch doors, etc.  so they are not at all hard to keep away from someone
who very young, compared to some other types of pets.  The problem is NOT
the ferrets or the babies; it's the ADULTS involved!!!!!!!
 
Bill, I also think that you have bent over backward to be flexible for the
posts; if anyone takes jabs at you for not permitting something on list
that item had to be miserable enough to not be fair to others here.  This
list is NOT about any one individual, though there always are a few who
desperately want it to be their's and their's alone.
[Posted in FML issue 2739]