I just finished reading a scathing response on the FML to Yo Land Morris'
posts regarding ferret discipline- can't these responses be more civil?  In
the article, the poster referred to Yo Land Morris as "miserable" and
volunteered to take his fuzzies off of his hands if he does not have the
"patience" to take care of them.  My response is this- just because I
discipline my ferrets does not mean I am not a patient person and does not
mean that I am a miserable person, and I doubt that Yo Land Morris is!
 
Ferrets are SMART creatures and I treat them as my children- children, just
like ferrets, need structure and discipline.  This does not mean that I do
not let my ferrets play, romp, and have fun, it simply means that they know
when they've "forgotten" to use the correct spot to poop and get a guilty
look in their eyes when I have to clean it up.  My girls know when they are
doing something they are not supposed to do, because when I catch them doing
it, they run away, dooking playfully- they know the rules!  They may break
them now and then, but I sure don't just sit there, allowing them to crawl
anywhere they want, anytime they want- it is for their own safety!  I do not
let them, for example, climb up into the stove- there is fiberglass
insulation that can hurt, even kill them if they ingest it, so when they go
near it, I spray them with the spray bottle- needless to say, they are
broken of that habit and will not be hurt.
 
So, if you do not discipline your fuzzies, you will be very much to blame
when they are hurt- just like you would be with children.  I do not mind
constructive criticism of my views regarding ferret discipline, but
remember, we are all on this list to learn- not to belittle or attack others
for their ideas- we all love our fuzzies, and to accuse myself or Yo Land
Morris for not doing so is shameful.
 
Erynn
[Posted in FML issue 1654]