All that any of us can do is to take what we learn, known what is known
and what is hypothesized, weigh the risks for each, and make our own
choices.  We may not always agree on what we conclude, but you and I
sure agree on methodology to get there.
----
 
They adjust beautifully to blindness.  Their primary sense is smell and
their sight isn't so great usually to begin with.  Don't redecorate and
mark things like corners or furniture with safe food extracts or safe
herbal and fruit essential oils, evan use different scents in different
areas to help with navigation.  Those are long and well tested tricks
many use and have used for many years,, so I bet you hear them often
enough...
----
 
>In your collective experiences, how long has it taken for the new ones
>to stop marking their territory?  It isn't the "old ones" that are doing
>it, the new ones are.  I certainly don't mind and it is to be expected
>but I am just curious to know your experiences.
 
Depends on the situation, the individual, the location... If if is
re-marked after the ferret (another ferret, a pup, a cat, or from people
"marking" the area by cleaning it with something that contains ammonia
then it will go on forever.  Also bad: smells from outdoors near doors to
the outside -- in which case give up and just put down newspaper, It's
kind of a security thing for them.  Try a good scent remover like "See
Spot Go".  Never use anything with ammonia on such areas.
----
 
>Taken aback at the sight
>And the words the fuzzy guy spoke
>I looked in the lamp housing
>for camera or puppeteer
>Or other sign of a joke
 
Okay, it's not ferrets but it is funny and I figure folks can use a
laugh, so if Bill doesn't mind... Years -- okay , decades -- ago I worked
on a project on chimp locomotion and we had a marvelous set up for the
chimps with three huge adjoining cages (and one across the hall) each of
which took up almost an entire, large and high room with many things to
enjoy and each with windows to the outdoors.  Between two of those rooms
was a small door to go back and forth and it had a drop door of caging.
One day we had workmen in to fix something -- pipes, I think -- in the
center room and I was in one of the end rooms with the chimps, the one
with the tiny door.  Randy, the prof whose project I was helping on
that time, was also in the center room and asked me a question which I
answered.  The workmen could not see me but could see Maddy (chimp) who
was carefully watching them.  Their jaws dropped.  One of them stammered
something like , "You taught her how to talk?!?"  Randy is a scamp.  He
answered, "Yes." so I played along till they finished and left.  I can
just imagine their dinner table conversations that night!
----
 
I am blushing today and I sent the post about how the FHL helped Merry:
>I was able to post my questions on FHL about Merry's Lymphoma and
>received great responses from vets and corresponded with other ferret
>owners that had dealt with Lymphoma.  It was a life saver!!!  on to the
>other FHL moderators, Troy Lynn Ekhart, Pam Sessoms, Mike Janke, Dr.
>Bruce Williams, and Christopher Bennett so that they can blush, too.
[Posted in FML issue 3898]