okidoki,
 
i've been told many different opinions by now...and everything sounds
sensible.  Both sides of the argument.
 
I've had letters saying: (the following is just to bring the list up to
what's been said so far off and on the list)
 
-a shelter had used it once, and lost 7 ferrets before the problem was
solved
 
-another uses it and swears it's fine with caution
 
-another uses chinchilla dust instead that supposedly dissolves the
exoskeleton of an insect
 
-one that goes on to say that the usefulness of boric acid for pest
control around animals is that it causes gas, and since insects can't
break wind (sorry, found this humorous at the time) it eventually kills
them, but not an animal that's able to release said pressure
 
-Another opinion was to the extent that it works more for flea/roach
eggs that get dried out if used over a span of two weeks (egg gestation
period)
 
-Someone mentioned that a liquid sample of boric acid is more highly
toxic, but reading the back of the label, it does say to get rid of
any soiled or damp amount because of toxicidity(sp?)
 
-then again...the same was said for chinchilla dust, and apparently
you're not really suppose to leave that with the chinchilla for more
than 10 min
 
-mention also of diatomaceous earth...though i'm still a little uncertain
what exactly that is...that kills by also dehydrating 'crawling insects',
but i'm unsure what the form of use is suppose to be (dusting carpet?)
 
I did have a curious question though on the gas thing: don't ferrets
kinda have troubles sometimes with that too from time to time?  Where
it gets trapped and causes internal problems?
 
I've pretty much come to the conclusion to use chinchilla dust though,
as a trial run.  I'm going to wait a few more days to see if anyone has
anything else to say, but that's kinda where i stand right now.
 
Thanks everyone,
Kirst
[Posted in FML issue 4262]