Greetings.  I've just acquired a 3rd ferret and so am now the proud Mom of
a real "business".  It's been a while since I've been able to send e-mail,
but I've been receiving the newsletter through my house mate's account.
I've also heard rumors lately about my new place of employment that we
will soon have access!!!  It will be great to be back in touch with some
other ferret parents.
 
First order of business is a reply to Laurie re:NYS licensing.  I, too,
have heard that 'rooters are illegal within New York City limits, but
having never lived there, I don't know for sure.  As for the rest of
NY state, a license is required.  It's a Fish and Wildlife License and
costs $10 per year.  I'm surprised that you got yours from a pet store
without a license, I had to wait 4 weeks for my license before I could
get my first ferret.  The license says:
        A.  The licensee may possess, sell and breed ferrets, fitch-
            ferrets or fitch.
 
[BTW: for the newcomer: "fitch" are Polecats, not ferrets.  Eurasian
Polecats are theoretically the wild forebears of the domestic ferret.
"fitch-ferrets" are polecat/ferret crosses.  They are *very* similar,
but there are differences.]
 
        B.  The licensee shall not dispose of a ferret, fitch-ferret
            or fitch except to an individual who possesses a valid
            Ferret License.
        C.  The licensee must submit a written report when he or she
            disposes of a ferret, ff or f.  The report must be sent
            to NYSDEC, Special License Unit, 50 Wold Road, Albany, NY
            12233-4752, within 10 days of the change in possession of
            the animal and it must include the name, address and ferret
            license of the licensee, the name, address and ferret
            license number of the individual acquiring animal and the
            date of transaction.
 
At least my new license doesn't have the special message on the bottom
that it had last year.  It said, in effect, that if my ferret bit some-
one, the DEC could seize the animal and cut its head off to test for
rabies...grrrr.
 
[They still can, can't they?]
 
I guess a license wouldn't be necessary if you already had ferrets or
bought them from someone without a license...I've never been stopped on
the street by a DEC officer and asked for my license.  :-)  But better
safe than sorry.
 
On to happier things...my new rug-shark is a silvermitt named "Tuxedo"
because of his white bib and gloves.  He's the first boy in the fold and
the "old ladies" are taking no guff from him.  Right after I got him and
introduced them all, Cocoa grabbed him by the scruff and dragged him
across the floor!  He just tucked in his front paws and went for a ride.
He's almost 2 1/2 months old now and fusses at being treated like a
kid (OK, a group is a business, what's a baby called?  kit?).  Besides,
 
["kit" is correct]
 
he's already almost as big as Cocoa.  I can't wait to see how big he
gets...  Unfortunately, he's got at least a few more weeks in his own
cage before he joins the ladies...I want to make sure he's litter trained
before I give him a larger space.
 
[*Big*.  Toby was twice the size of our females.  Close to four pounds.
I think you'll find that Tuxedo will be more rambunctious than your
females, more fun, but gentler.]
 
Which leads me to my final paragraph, a question.  I got Jester around
Thanksgiving 2 years ago.  She was an only ferret for almost 4 months
and became very well litter trained.  When I got Cocoa in late February
of the next year, I got a bigger house for them and put Cocoa in the
big cage shortly after she arrived.  She was never very worried about
hitting the box and it has gotten worse in the last 6 months...  Any
ideas.  I'm thinking about putting her in Tux's cage when he's well-
trained, but it seems awful to take away her daytime company just because
I don't like cleaning up after her.  I guess it won't be forever, but
I really feel like the wicked step mother whenever I think about it.
Other ideas would be greatly appreciated.  Also any substances that I
could use to clean the corners of the "scent" that draws her back even
after I clean up?
 
Gotta go now.  It's been great to be back.  Happy ferretting,
 
Robbin  (replies and newsletters still go to mort...)
                                                                          
[Posted in FML 0096]