It's Read Mostly Bob again...  some days I get so excited I have to
put in a word or two many.
 
1.  Wheeee!! This is Day Three in the lives of this years first litter
    of kits. we're past the critical time. His Holiness, Supreme grand
    champion " a Poco a Poco " (with a little help from his bride
    Minuet) has presented us with a litter of two. Looking at Minuet the
    day before, I predicted it was a litter of 15 and was a little
    frightened to stand too close as she appeared outright explosive. We
    are totally overjoyed, as last year was horrid, with two lost
    litters (other jills).  Jill and kits are doing great, and she is
    proving to be a perfect mother.
 
2.  Some ferrets DO scream, LOUD!! My translation is "Lemme outa here, I
    wanna be held.  NOW!!"  Such screaming slowly subsided with age. We
    have had two such ferrets. Both were gotten too young, unweaned, and
    were fed Goat milk, duck soup, and chicken baby food by hand. They
    were people bonded. Newborns scream for mama too, but 90 dB softer.
 
3.  Litter:
 
    (if I could get Cat Works here I wouldn't bother with others)
 
    Corn Cob is fine for ferrets, but awful as litter.
    Clay is great as litter but awful for ferrets.
    Gravity works, clay is heavy, cob is light.
 
    Put in clay, put corn cob on top of clay. Ferret contacts cob not
    clay, liquid goes straight through to the clay, solid is easily
    removed. Cob keeps dust from clay away from ferret. Early digging
    fits don't persist, and the stuff is re-arranged by merely shaking
    the box. Cob smells good, keeps little feet pink and clean.
 
    Clay caution and hint. Berrylium Oxide or silica is often listed
    as a content of clay, even minute particles are dangerous to you
    and me, and probably to ferrets too. Avoid it. Now given that
    warning, you can buy automobile shop spill catcher type clay. Its
    the same thing as clay litter, but dirt cheap. (pun)
 
4.  Distemper vaccinations:
 
    We have used Norden Labs Vanguard, DHLLP for years. I have the test
    reports, and it is effective in ferrets. LIFE and FURO accepted it
    as OK for ferret show entry after we produced the test reports. We
    have vaccinated about 25 ferrets and their litters over about 8
    years, and have had no distemper, and only one reaction. It was a
    bad reaction in a hob getting his 1st annual, but he made it OK.
 
    We don't think we have ever been exposed to distemper, so this
    don't prove nothin honey.
 
5.  I wrote to every legislator in CA, and I got exactly ONE decent
    reply, and dozens of form letters.
 
6.  My vet says I can't go to shows until ECE is licked, and I miss
    seeing all of you.
 
       (   (
        )  )       __         .,.,.
       (  (     ,:~  '\.     (:o`o:)           Ann & Bob Martin
        )  )  / ::     `\   /`. ~,'             Lynchburg, VA
       (     /.::.       `;'   ,'             [log in to unmask]
       )   .;:::::;.     .::;,'  foo
          ,;:;:::::;.  .,::::             home of [ a Poco a Poco ]
   :.,,,;,;'  \;;;;:.'''   ':;,          LIFE Supreme Grand Champion
    ~''''         ``~'
[Posted in FML issue 1228]