>please, if someone can help - i'm moving to the SF area very suddenly (3
>weeks from now) and need to either 1) talk to SF-area ferret owners OR 2)
>need to find a new, loving home for my two little girls, Popcorn and Keela
>(short for "Tequila"), both less than a year old.... AND, MOST IMPORTANTLY,
>is bringing them a good idea, or am i seriously jeopardizing their health?
 
Ohhhh, please don't feel like you have to give up your babies just because
you are moving out here!!!  It is somewhat risky given ferrets are still
illegal, but we are having great luck so far with AB-363 passing through its
various government hurdles, so ferrets just may become legalized this year
(let's hope!!!)
 
If you drive through Reno via I-80, once you cross the Calif. border, drive
through downtown Truckee, to bypass the agricultural checkpoint.  Be sure to
stop in Reno and let your babies out for a run/playtime to wear them out a
bit, then when they crash back asleep in their travel cage, try to put them
in your backseat with blankets/other stuff tossed around it to be more
discreet.  I wouldn't worry too much about this - people here smuggle
fuzzies in this way all of the time.  Just use your best judgement and be
careful.
 
I would recommend trying to rent an apt. that allows pets, and tell them you
have a hamster or two.  Or, don't even tell them at all.  Several people I
know currently rent apts. in the Bay Area with both pet/no pets rules and
have not had any trouble whatsoever.  Ferrets make fantastic apt.  pets
because they are so quiet.  Only sad thing is that you can't ever let them
outside, and make sure in whatever rental contract you sign there is a
clause that your landlord cannot come inside your apt.  without notifying
you first (so if they need to do some sort of inspection, this gives you
enough time to "de-ferretize" your apt).
 
Mail order is also not a problem (most envelopes from ferret suppliers come
in plain packaging for Californians or other FFZ'ers), nor is finding a
pretty good stash of supplies at local pet stores, or even vets.  Please
call Ferrets Anonymous at 619-584-8427 for a copy of their "ferret friendly
vet directory" in California.  I personally know of at least 4 vets on the
SF peninsula who treat several ferrets per day, and are extremely
knowledgeable and trustworthy.
 
Don't worry, you will not seriously jeopardize your babies' health by
bringing them into CaCa Land.  Just think - there are already well over
500,000 secret resident ferrets living very happy and healthy in this state,
and that number grows every year.  I just couldn't imagine having to give up
your fuzzbabies because you need to move to the dreaded FFZ state -- ferrets
really become a part of your family and as long as you are careful you
should be fine.  BTW, several people even take the chance and do "ferret PR"
by bringing their fuzzits out in very open, very public places such as flea
markets and fairs in Calif.  (i.e., I saw a guy at a flea market in
Cupertino earlier this month walking his little cinnamon fuzzy on a leash in
front of a million people) -- and they haven't gotten caught, however, I
wouldn't recommend doing this, I feel IMO that this is a little too risky.
 
Good luck, and please consider keeping your fuzzies and taking the chance --
they are worth it.  Let us know how it goes....
 
Jen & her crew
[Posted in FML issue 1943]