>From:    Beth Comarow <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: Ferret Column in Washington Post and Website
 
Sorry for a general rant that seems directed at poor Beth.
 
>though I always flinch a little when I hear people say ferrets are easy to
>care for and can be trained to use a litter box.  I tend to go the opposite
>route and tell people ferrets are wonderful but more work than dogs and
>cats and are not really cage animals (though they can be in cages when
>unsupervised).
 
Sorry to get off on a rant but I always HATE when people say ferrets are
harder to care for than dogs or cats as if its always the case.  It is not.
Which of the three is easier will vary amongst all people.  Its based on
expectations, environment and the particular critter involved.
 
Ferrets are wonderful pets because they are highly entertaining and all in
all very easy to care for.  They are becoming more of a mainstream pet and
that is good.  They do not need 'special' owners anymore than all pets need
'special' owners.
 
The ferrets in shelters NEED to get out of shelters and into homes.  A
mediocre home is far better for a ferret than living in a shelter.
 
>From:    Linda Iroff <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: See no evil, hear no evil, smell that evil!
 
We had two fine responses in the last issue.  But here's another way to
look at it.
 
>I just read an article in the paper the jist of which is that the brain
>can rewire itself, suggesting is it far more adaptable and flexible than
>originally thought.
 
The brain may be better able to adapt, but the nose itself is still the
same.  The organs that gather the info are not better just because others
get damaged.  The brain may better process what it gets without other
information interfering.  The signal from the nerves can be better
processed but a better signal doesn't come into existance.
 
Just as stroke victims or others that suffer brain damage can have what
appear to be miraculous rewirings of the brain, they don't gain super-human
abilities just because the brain 'reprogrammed' itself.
 
Think about a PC with a scanner.  You can upgrade the PC with a faster
processor and more memory but it doesn't make the scanner work at a higher
resolution.
 
I am willing to read articles where it is explained how the sensory organs
improve when others fail though.
 
>From:    Murray Mustelid <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: Show Sleuth Returns
 
Ah ha!
 
I know MM was there.  I also heard one of the comments that was quoted!
It was even directed to me.  So...  MM was awfully close to me at that
point.
 
bill
--
bill and diane killian
zen and the art of ferrets
http://www.zenferret.com/
mailto:[log in to unmask]
[Posted in FML issue 2856]