Maria calls me a troll - how droll! Especially when she says she
doesn't read my posts - but apparently reads them well enough to post
comments! How droll indeed!

Phyllis inquires:
>Have you NEVER had a bad experience with anyone that had anything to
>do with your ferrets? Even maybe someone handling them when you didn't
>want them to? Then you must be the one in a million."

Maybe I am - according to some FMLrs I am. I've had companion animals
all my life. Not just the usual dog and cat, but rodents, reptiles,
rabbits, guinea pigs, birds and horses too. I spent my childhood
associating with many other people's children not just through school
but also at home in the day care center my Mother had established so I
learned at an early age how to deal and interact with OTHER people's
children. As an adolescent I offered horse management and riding
lessons to kids younger AND older than myself as well as a few adults!
This meant developing communication skills to suit a wide variety of
people. As an adult I continued my venue in teaching horse management,
lessons and added horse training to that, I've gotten involved with
riding therapy programs that cater to "special needs" kids - allowing
me to become well versed in people/animal communications!

Ferrets are relatively new in my life but that in NO way means I
haven't earned the right to share MY views, MY experiences or to offer
fresh insight to others! Having done something for decades doesn't
necessarily make one an expert - it very well could be that for
decades the same mistakes have been made over and over!

When I ventured into the ferret world I did so like so may others did-
having always "WANTED" a ferret but not ever really taking that final
step. I finally did and like so many others, read a couple books from
pet shops then bought that first ferret from a pet store and got more
so called "knowledge" regarding care from the store owner. Thankfully
for my first ferret (and all the ones after her) I'm a curious sort and
delved deeper into the ferret world via the internet and discovered the
NATURAL approach to feeding, housing and care - as my young ferret
showed her delight with this natural world and her health bloomed I
shared this with others - not just here on the FML but in other forums
too and have been soundly trounced for DARING to expound upon such
NATURAL care! Paying no heed to these naysayers I continued in the
natural ferret world and my ferret(s) have wholly benefitted from this
perseverance

Many people do NOT want to hear anything that might make them
reevaluate their OWN care management system. Some stick their fingers
in their ears and "la la la la" themselves back to their comfort zone.
Others beat their chests, thrash about and and roar making themselves
feel large and important. Many point fingers and call out bad names.
But several take a hard look at their system and a lucky few make
changes and the improvements in their ferrets are their reward!

My first ferret was NOT like so many other's first ferret in that she
didn't live in a cage - she went with me daily as my constant companion
in my mobile service business. Many of you know her story. Unlike the
majority of first ferrets out there - mine was deaf! This meant I had
to tune into her more closely and on different levels than others with
hearing ferrets. Spending 24/7 with a ferret offers insight that cage
kept ferrets cannot share and people not able to spend 24/7 with their
ferret cannot fathom. So yes - I guess from that perspective I might
be one in a million!

I don't have ALL the answers - never claimed to - but I do have more
answers than a LOT of people - yeah more than some who have been in
the ferret world longer than me - because I AM willing to look, learn,
explore, observe and interact; but most of all I am willing to adapt
and change MY world to suit the needs of my chosen companions! If I
have questions I seek the answers, make inquiries, do research and
then share. So maybe that makes me one in a million?

To get back to Phyllis' original query, Have I NEVER had a bad
experience with anyone dealing with my ferrets? Well maybe Phyllis
should quantify "BAD"? A pet shop visit with Josie on her leash, a
bulldog in another aisle tore loose from the CHILD holding its leash
and tried to get Josie - thankfully she dove under the shelf - while
she hid under the racking I hefted the bulldog up, one handed by the
scruff (angered adrenalin lending strength to my arm) until the PARENT
came to claim it! Oh sure the parent was apologetic and claimed the dog
had never done anything like that before. But I still gave her AND the
child an earful about responsibility, leash training and that if the
dog outweighs the kid then the kid has no right to handle that dog!

Josie was scared, only drooled upon but safe - but yes, THAT could have
ended rather differently. Josie still accompanied me to store outings
but I became more vigilant of others in there and who had leash
control!

Twice Kosmo climbed up and fell out of a store cart during one of his
outings. Yes, those instances when I turned my back for but a moment.
So I don't turn my back anymore when the ferrets are in the cart.

Another day in a pet store had a little girl flashing her hands in
front of Josie's face until I grabbed her hand to halt her. She looked
at me, surprised and said she was only "seeing if the ferret would
bite" I told her I'D bite her the next time she did that and told her
to go back where her Mom was because you don;'t tease animals like
that!

So, yes, a few bad things have happened with my ferrets - I NEVER
claimed to be immune! HOWEVER I DO have common sense and during ANY
outing with my ferret(s) I'll be approached, sometimes mobbed, by
children (sans parents) wanting to pet or hold the ferret. I ALWAYS
make them go ask their parents FIRST, recently I've been making them
sanitize their hands ( I keep some in my pocket book), and I ONLY let
them pet the ferret's back while I hold the ferret.

Not all children that ask are allowed to pet the ferret. if they are
covered in snot, are excessively hyper active, plastered in candy goo,
are filthy or they refuse to get permission from their parents they get
told: "No, you may not pet the ferret, not today." The ones that don't
ask my permission are physically stopped, in their tracks and
redirected!

There is the inevitable child that reaches toward the ferret's head and
in those cases I pull the ferret back to me out of the child's reach
and admonish, "Where are you supposed to pet the ferret?". They'll
mumble, "on its back". "Can you do that?", I'll ask. "Yes, I can.", the
child says. "Good! Then you can pet the ferret again." and I return the
ferret within their reach and the child happily strokes the ferret.
I've done this with ALL the ferrets I have - even Roman. It helps teach
former biters and abused ferrets that people aren't ALWAYS mean. keeps
the ferret safe and keeps the child safe. There has only been ONE child
I allowed to hold a ferret and she is the child of a local pet shop I
frequent. Both parents are right there, in sight, I still make her
sanitize her hands and hover within arm's length as she has held Bugsy,
a ferret who has never offered to bite - even during rough play. I
guide her how to hold Bugsy under his fore arms and supporting his bum,
or to cradle him along her folded arm so she can stroke him. She is
very attentive, respectful and cooperative, not to mention very
grateful she got to hold Bugsy Malone!

Phyllis applies shame to me - for WHAT? For stating the obvious? For
pointing out that the very people the ferrets were being sheltered from
had been allowed to gain access to them and perpetrate bodily harm? I
bear ZERO shame for placing blame squarely where it should reside -
upon the shoulders of the one supposed to protect those ferrets from
harm! MY ferrets rely on me for their safety and security I certainly
don't want to let them down!

I NEVER claimed to be immune to bad things happening with my ferrets.
But I CAN claim that I'll do EVERYTHING in my power to keep them safe
and secure! When I go out in public with my ferrets we are ferret
ambassadors - I want the public to see ferrets in a good light and
ferret owners as responsible people. Conversely I want the public to
respect my ferrets and myself! Does THAT make me one in a million?
Maybe, just maybe so!

Tim wants to know: "Kim who Died and appointed you Judge !!"

Who died Tim? You ask, "Who DIED?" Re-read Sandra's original post -
Wolverine and Casper DIED! THAT's WHO! And very FEW people on the FML
have had the courage to stand up publicly for Wolverine and Casper
after hearing of their demise! But I for one HAVE the courage to say
what needs to be said for those who have no voice! I'll speak up,
loudly if need be, for those whose voices have been stripped from them!

Thank you to the anonymous poster and many others that have contacted
me personally, showing support for what I posted, I KNEW I wasn't the
ONLY one who saw the tragedy in this situation!

Regards,
Kim

[Posted in FML 6581]