My internet link was knocked out, somewhere up line, for two weeks, so I am
responding to some old messages that I am just catching up on.
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Baths:
We seem to have all seven of our carpet sharks trained to the bath. They get
plenty of Ferretone before the bath, as we squirt it on their tummies to keep
them occupied while we trim toenails. We run the water to a level just deep
enough that they can touch the bottom at the shallow end (except for Arnie,
who likes it deeper). I let them swim around until they are used to it and
then soap them above the water. When I am through, the swim water becomes
rinse water. I begin draining the tub while they rinse off. While this is
happening, I lightly splash water around their ears, to get off any soap
around or in them (again, except for Arnie, who does his aligator imitation,
submerging completely). Because their fur holds the soap so well, I rinse
them under running water and begin filling the tub for the next bath, at the
same time. A short swim and they are ready for the towel. I have a way that
I can get them into a towel and wrapped into a tube in a second. They all
will squirm around inside the towel-tube and dry themselves off. Then, it is
desert time - RAISINS!!! Yea!!! That creates a real problem for the carpet
sharks. They don't know whether to run and dry off or eat the raisin. The
raisin usually wins.
For the two whole males, we insert a second soapping. The oil on their fur
won't all come out in one wash.
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Ferrets and bunnies:
We have both. We usually try to keep them apart, just in case. However,
neither Baccarat (bunnie) or any of our seven ferrets have shown any interest
in each other. In fact, they tend to give each other a wide berth.
On the other hand, I know of a case here in Houston where a woman told her
best friend to bring her newly adopted ferret over to her house to meet her
bunnie. They put the ferret on the floor across the room from the bunnie and
in two seconds the bunnie was dead. If the ridge at the back of the skull is
any sign, this ferret was much closer to the fitch (European polecat) ferret
than to the true domestic (albino) ferret. However, it just points out that,
like dogs, cats and people, every ferret is different.
My advice: Play it safe.
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For the record:
We now have a dud-stud in Houston. Sampson had his operation a month ago and
is having the time of his life. If you should hear of any jills in or around
Houston, needing his service, email me or call 713/952-4233
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"Cats may be cool, but carpet sharks rule!"
John Gaver ([log in to unmask])
[Posted in FML issue 0545]
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