This isn't a flame.  Just a question as I am confused.
 
I can't recall who posted about giving their ferret a product on stopping
the shed of the coat.... and I am really hoping I read it wrong.  My
question is, why stop your ferret from shedding?
 
Shedding hair is a necessary part of the coat changes that ferrets go
through twice a year, not to mention the shedding that goes on day to day.
But the idea of stopping this natural process boggles my mind.  Why would
one want to do this, especially with summer and high temperatures just
around the corner, if not already here in some areas?
 
After seeing how Bear dropped her long brown coat for a short grey bluish
one and being almost unrecognizable, I couldn't imagine her having to hang
on to hair she doesn't need.
 
And after seeing Max lose all his hair to adrenal disease, trying to keep
his hair in wouldn't have cured him.
 
Besides, does not the condition of the coat also give us signals that the
ferret is sick or healthy.
 
I don't have as many ferrets as some people on this list, and 5 do a fair
amount of shedding all year long.  But cleaning is not a big deal.
Besides, I have the hair of 4 cats and a guinea pig to contend as well as
two humans.  Add to that the various other things besides hair that are
shed... like skin follicles and nail sheaths.  But it is all a part of
understanding that this is a natural process of each animal.  Why on earth
would I want to stop it?  If cleaning was the issue, I wouldn't have any
non-human companions unless they were of the hairless variety and even
then, they still lose fine hair, skin follicles and nail sheaths.
 
If anyone could help me understand why stopping the hair shed process is a
good thing, please let me know.
 
Betty and Her Blur O'Fur
[Posted in FML issue 2721]