I certainly don't know everything about ferrets even after being owned
by a total of 27 critters in 12+ years.  But I would sure like some
comments on these two issues:
 
From Ferrets 2001 Annual page 21 Basics of a Ferret Abode by Fara
Shimbo (purchased by someone else for me):
 
1. "As I mentioned, ferrets are extremely susceptible to colds and
flu; they usually die if they contract measles."
 
2. "I recommend a glass [water] bottle, at least if you live in an
area with hard water. Why? I'll tell you my story. For many years, I
lived where we had fairly soft water. I used plastic water bottles and
all was fine. I kept hearing about adrenal tumors, but after 12 years
of many ferrets, I had never seen them myself. Then we moved to a
place that has furiously hard water. You can't even drink my house
water from a plastic cup; it immediately leaches something out of the
cup and the water tastes of plastic. The ferrets stopped drinking from
their bottles, and within a few months, I had five cases of adrenal
tumors."
 
Measles??? Hard water in plastic bottles causing adrenal tumors???  Is
there any medical basis for either of these? Measles aren't even
listed in Fox or Quesenberry as being a ferret condition.
 
I'll reserve my judgment until I hear from the jury.
 
    -Carla
[Posted in FML issue 3254]