With permission, I am forwarding the letter I received from
Frances Stepp ([log in to unmask]) regarding her ferret
problem.  I have sent her a whole passle o'ferret information
but if anyone else has any suggestions or knows who she can
contact in the U.K., please pass on to the mailing list or
e-mail her directly.  (Chris, could you add her to the list?)
 
BTW, Frances has since informed me that she has learned this
ferret is a male.
 
>FROM:    FRANCES STEPP, 100024,415
>TO:      Katherine Fritz, 71257,3153
>DATE:    04/11/92 at 22:42
>
>SUBJECT: Ferret care & feeding
>
>Katie:
>        I can't begin to thank you for your info and consideration!
>The (CIS Pet/Animal) forum has been such a great source of info and
>support (this situation is emotionally tough for me!)
>        Last night I spent two hours on cross-talk with Lenny (Staff)!
>She was marvelous to me!
>        I have down loaded the (ferret) info from the forum and that
>has gotten me through the inital stages.  Let me give you a little
>background....
>        I am in the UK!  But American.  Country is rabies free, so no
>problem in that area....But there is whole lot more trouble in river
>city....
>        I live in one of converted apts in a victorian manor house.
>The owner went on vacation Wednesday night (April 8) and I volunteered
>to feed and care for her animals (Assuming in my mind that said animals
>were being properly cared for initally!!!)  This is a whole other prob
>all together!!!!  I knewn that she had a ferret (I know not, why)
>but did not ever see it.  So on Thurseday, coming home from
>work earliy, I decided to make animal rounds earily (we had beautiful,
>sunny weather, not common for this country!) so that the animals could
>enjoy the weather as well (dogs, goat, etc).  She told me not to bother
>with the ferret because the gardener would do it, because she knew that
>if I saw it I would go ballistic!!! being the animal lover that I am.
>Well, because I did not know the gardener at said time, and being
>concerned with care, I decided to look in on ferret to be sure that it
>had been fed and not forgetten because I could have taken care of it at
>the same time as everyone else.  She had told me that ferret was
>mean.  NOT SO!!!!  But she would have had every right to be, if she
>had!
>        When I went to look in on it, I nearly died!!!!  Poor little
>thing!!!! How she servived all this time is only be God's graces!
>        She is in a large enclosure which in itself is nice, however,
>the conditions is the issue.  Anyway, the enclosure is like a small
>shed about 6 feet by 6 feet and you can stand in it.  It has a mesh
>door and then a solid door.  It is outside, but currently, the weather
>is nice and she is confortable.
>        I wont horrify you with the conditions of the enclosure, but at
>the moment that I was despertly trying to clean this, the gardener had
>come in to feed it and was as horrifed as myself.  He and I cleaned
>all the garbage out.  I have a sheep farmer living next to estate and
>he told me I could have all the straw that I needed.  So we put down
>straw on the bottom of this shed because it was WET.  I gave her FRESH
>WATER (She didn't even have that at this time!!!) and placed her back
>inside.  We left the solid door open for the rest of the day-light
>hours so she could get fresh air and sunshine and to air out the foul
>smell in this place.  You should have seen her with the fresh water and
>with the straw.  She drank the water like you would not believe and
>immediately proceeded to roll around in the straw.  I came back to check
>on her and she had made her a little nest!!!  And sleeping.
>        I am sorry to say that I did not know enough about ferret
>behavior (I have cats) to know just how weak she had been.  In 48-hours
>she has made a complete turn around.  I have been keeping an eye on her
>during this time to be sure she is alright, and I could not be more
>satisfied in her recovery.  Last evening when I brought her more food
>and fresh water, her stool was solid like normal and she was more
>active.  Before she had diarreia(SP?) because the jack-ass owner was
>feeded her MILK (even I know better than that) and foul at that!  And
>the straw was removing the mositure and smell.  I removed the straw
>again and put down fresh again during that time.  This morning, her
>eyes were clear.  Before they had been glazed over but I did not know
>this was not normal.  I know now.  She was also beginning to display
>behaviors associated with ferrets!  While I was feeding and watering
>her, she was running all around me, putting her little nose in
>everything and cittering at me!  I was wearing a sweat-shirt with hood
>and pockets.  She was determined to check every nook and cranny!  And
>smell of course.  The oder is now completely gone and it just smell
>like straw now.
>        I had some friends over today.  They use my place to wash and
>work on their cars.  We had another beautiful day and we took the
>ferret out in the lawn and made a circle around her so we would not
>loose her, so she could scurry about and excercise plus enjoy the grass
>and fresh air for a bit.  Boy, did she enjoy that!  The oder in her fur
>is substantially less and her coat is becoming sleek again.  I leave
>the door open during the day so she can air out and get fresh air.  I
>close it at night, to help keep the chill out.
>        Problem now is that the ferret is not mine by law but the
>landlady's.  My fear is that once she takes over responsibility again
>that the poor thing will go back to the terrible conditions I rescued
>it from.  Owner is back Easter Sunday!  Yes, it will not be pleasant
>holiday for me!!  The other animals have been improperly cared for as
>well but not as bad as this one was.
>        Anyway, the RSPCA (SPCA's English counterpart) here has far
>more authority that the US and if they take it into care because owner
>is not caring for it, then I will take it from the RSPCA.  They will
>giver her to me.I'm in a difficult situation because it is my landlady
>and she lives in the same building as myself.  It will be a mess at the
>very least.
>        I have had lots of support from her employees on the estate
>(gardener, building, handy man) and from friends and relatives.  I
>could move, but this would not do anything for the animals.  So I have
>championed their cause.  On Monday the Estate Agent (Realtor
>counterpart in US) is coming to visit me and see problems (she is also
>cat lover and was not happy when I talked to her about this
>yesterday!!).  And I will be calling the RSPCA Monday for advice.  Adn
>this is where I stand now.  I will probably end up taking the ferret at
>some point in all this, but when is the question.  But be assured that
>I will make sure she is cared for in the meantime.
>        I am feeding ferret "Kit n' Kaboodle" cat crunchies.  Many
>ferrets in UK but no "ferret chow".  Doc says cat crunchies are fine
>for now.  If I end up keeping her, I will yell to Mom in US to send me
>some ferret food and book on care.  Your info has been very helpful.
>I was not sure if they had long sleeping times like cats but now I
>know.  I have not pet water bottle.  However, I have given her one of my
>cat's old ceramic dishes for her water and she can't move that.  I make
>sure to change her water every day because of this so that it is
>fresh.
>        If I become a part of the ferret family, I will take take the
>little thing to the vet's for a check up (not a prob in this country)
>and I thank you for the ferret assoc. addresses and I have kept them on
>file in case I need them for this case or for later when I may become
>ownerof one and want more info.  And I will buy her a water
>bottle (smile).
>        I have also discovered that their little claws make lovely
>criss-crosses on the hands when they are active in your arms!!  I
>believe that her claws will also need to be trimed but I will wait for
>vet's analysis on this because I'm stupid in this are as well.
>        I do not know how old she is.  She is blound though and has a
>wonderfully sweet disposition.  I am surprised under the situations
>that she was living in.  She has not tried to bite me AT ALL during all
>this time (and she does not know me).  She did try to nibble on my nose
>while she was crawling on me and smelling my face, but not hard.
>        I would be eternally greatful for any suggestions on care that
>comes from the experienc of living with them!  One questions comes to
>mind is, do they normally stay at ground level in the house or do they
>climb and curl up in places sort of like cats.  (I don't want to step
>on her!)???  Do they climb your curtains???  Do they use a litter box
>in your house???
>        Katie, thanks for you info and concern.  I do appreciate it and
>any other things you may come up with.
>        Thanks
>                        Frances
 
I have a second, equally long letter from Frances from 4/12, but
will send it later -- lunch is calling my name!!
 
Katie
 
[Posted in FML issue 0247]