In answer to Charlie's question about how to handle the biting issue.  I
was a docent at the Birmingham (AL) Zoo for several years and whatever
animal I was showing someone would ask "Does it bite." Standard answer: "If
it has a mouth it *can* bite.  Will it bite?  Well, I wouldn't be holding
it and showing it to you if I thought I stood a good chance of getting
bitten.  However, if the (insert animal species here) gets frightened or
startled then, yes, it probably *will* bite.  And since I'm holding it,
it will probably bite me.  So when I tell you how to touch it please pay
attention and do as I ask--I don't want to get bitten either."
 
Whenever I'm showing ferrets to prospective adopters and they ask that
question I start with a version of that answer.  Since ferrets aren't zoo
animals and I know and handle them daily then I can go on to say (with some
assurance) that they probably won't bite unless they're really frightened
or startled.
 
I have one ferret, Ringo, who has a history of abuse and was a terrible
biter when I first got him.  And although he's a lot less of biter now I do
warn adopters that Ringo has a history of biting and that I'm working with
him.  But I let them know that he has been biter and could bite someone he
doesn't know.
 
Judy
Cloud Nine Ferrets
[Posted in FML issue 3019]