Beth wrote:
>I'm getting worried about my little Izzy.  She's not so little anymore...
>Is she just "bulking up" for the winter?
 
It is normal for *some* ferrets to bulk up for the winter.  Some ferrets do,
some don't - but its not "bad" either way.  Generally, ferrets that put on a
lot of weight for the winter do so at about the same time that they put on a
thicker, lighter-colored coat, and often they'll start sleeping more (a
"mini- hibernation" so to speak).  Other ferrets just have a coat change;
some have no changes at all.
 
Melanie wrote:
>... Norman, who has been drinking his urine after he urinates..... I am
>figuring that this isn't normal behavior, or is it?
 
Its not normal (i.e., most ferrets don't do this) - but its not abnormal,
either.  There are a few ferrets that have this particular vice - its not
pleasant, but it seems to be a behavioral thing, not a medical problem.  It
doesn't appear tp have any effect on the health of the fert... but I'd
definately think twice about kissing!!!  More training on using the litter
box is probably your best bet.  .  .
 
Brad wrote:
>My ferret, Hobbes, is 10wks old and has two loose teeth on his lower jaw.
>Does anyone know if this is normal?
 
10 weeks is just a kit - so you're probably just seeing the loss of his baby
teeth.  Are there new ones pushing through?
 
cobra wrote:
>She would like to know if others have experienced this problem with nylon
>collars.... noticed that they tend to become mis-sharpened after they've
>been worn for a while and wonders if that is what is causing the shrinkage.
 
Nylon collars can shrink when they're scratched - my guess is that her
ferret is probably scratching at the collar a lot.  This is a problem for
some ferrets, and others wear nylon collars without a problem.  Since the
nylons are a problem for her, she might want to try either a leather one
(just make sure it doesn't get wet!) or a ball-and-link chain (the kind you
pull on lightbulbs).
 
Bill Killian wrote:
>There is this year a bad problem in this area (DC/MD/VA)
>which is why the more responsible breeders have cut back on breeding
>somewhat.  But it is probably a single year phenomenon since it is the
>result of local shelters being forced to close at about the same time.
   and
>So this still boils down to the fact that we we have a distribution problem
>with ferrets not a overpopulation problem.
 
I have to disagree... It isn't just that area, I'm afraid - there's been a
LOT of shelters having to close this year due to record high numbers... And
most of the ones that have remained open have also said they've seen larger
numbers than usual.  I think we may be seeing the start of a more serious
problem.  The pet store ferret business has really taken off in the past few
years - and those ferrets are now getting to an age where they're starting
to get more illnesses (and thus more likely to be dropped off at shelters).
I fear the large number of ferrets being abandoned this year is the
beginning of what may end resulting in a shelter crisis.  I hope I'm wrong;
but I fear this may be the start of what will be a serious overpopulation
problem.
 
Al Gearhart asked about bumper stickers and wrote:
>ADOPT A FERRET  ... support ferret rescue
 
We got our first ferret from a shelter about 6 years ago, and the only way
we found out that that shelter existed was because of a stioker we saw on
someone's truck on a highway... We'd never considered that there would be
separate shelters for ferrets, and not being in the same suburb it wasn't in
our phone directory.  Likewise, I'm sure there's a lot of people who don't
know about shelters, especially if the nearest shelter isn't in their local
phone book (which could be as little as a 30 min.  drive).  I think bumper
stickers would *work* - but I agree they wouldn't *sell*.  Besides, without
a phone number to call, they wouldn't be as effective, anyway.  So they'd
have to be local endeavors, not national ones.
 
-rochelle
[Posted in FML issue 1754]