With regards to Valerie's post, I concur, this pet store Debby's Petland is
the most atrocious place I have ever seen for ferrets.  In the past 3 plus
years we have been checking on them-- and other ferret folks too, they
repeatedly bed them in 4-6 inches of pine shavings with usually not even a
litter box.  Needless to say when sleeping their heavy heads are buried and
one can surmise they inhale the dust.
 
I was asked to leave one store a short time ago as I spied an older 12 week
plus male in a lower plexiglass display case who was sleeping in these
conditions.  This ferrets head was buried up to the shoulders in shaving as
he slept.  The younger babies had pine dust encrusted around their nose,
mouths and eyes.  The sales clerk was showing off these kits.  I was bold
enough to remark that ,"I WOULDN'T dare purchase one of these kits as they
may well have a respiratory infection due to the inhalation of dust"
 
The clerk defended the store and said, "it doesn't hurt if it is only for a
short time"
 
To that I replied, "and what about the kid here is a short time 6 weeks?"
 
I was told, "perhaps if I didn't have any shopping to do, I should leave".
 
On another date in Debby's Petland, a gentleman from Chile, yes Chile, was
being sold 2 kits for import.... now how smart is this???  -- The man bought
them because they were cute with no thought as to how to get them into the
country.  I started to give him lots of ferret information and queried him
as to the temperature..  he stated it was very hot there.  I instructed him
that the ferrets did not do well in extreme heat and asked if by chance
there was air conditioning -- the clerk butted in and said that the ferret
just needed salt licks and added 2 of these to the pile of merchandise.  It
was NOT a pretty sight, and once again I left Debby's Petland.... and so do
the ferrets-- and to the gentleman who inquired about getting one for his
daughter and what if she tired of it?  A clerk informed him , "not to worry,
they live fine out in the wild, so you can just turn them loose".
 
Salesmanship at it's finest-- yep, my interpretation of this establishment???
Anyone care to comment?
[Posted in FML issue 2048]