Potentially stupid question for everyone: how bad are pine shavings for baby
ferrets?  I just went to the Pet Nosh in Totowa, NJ today, and they had an
entire tankful (it was a nice, large display tank with a locked mesh top)
full of baby fuzzbeans.  The ferrets were in pine shavings.  I was kind of
concerned about this, but I couldn't remember exactly if it was only cedar
shavings that were bad for ferrets, or pine shavings as well.  (I seem to
recall that any shaving with an aromatic oil was bad for ferrets, and these
shavings were quite fresh and aromatic).
 
So, I asked the salesclerk about the ferrets.  He said that pine shavings
were okay for ferrets, and that only cedar shavings are bad for them.  He
also said that the ferrets were eight weeks old, and that they were still on
moist food.  They looked happy and healthy, but I'm still concerned if those
shavings might not be bad for them.  I called the store back later and
talked to the manager to see what she would say about the pine shavings, and
she also told me that only cedar shavings harmed ferrets; pine shavings are
fine.
 
Am I wrong here, or are they?  If anyone else cares to call them and info
inform them of the error of their ways, the store number is 201-256-9175.  I
could have sworn that pine shavings were bad for ferrets, but maybe I'm the
one who is in error here ....  hmmmm.  This is a VERY large pet superstore,
by the way ...  the size of a warehouse, and part of a chain.  I can only
imagine what their annual volume of baby ferrets must be, so if they are
indeed in the wrong, and we politely inform them of this, we might be able
to help quite a few ferrets out.  If anyone would like the snail mail
address of the store, I would be happy to find that out and post it as well
....  Thanks!
 
- Ela, Scooter and Paddington
[Posted in FML issue 1525]