I live in Nashville TN and a new place down the street from me was
advertising a new small animals department and they had a ferret on the
sign.  (This is a fish store originally by the way).  Well since I'm always
looking for things for my fuzzy's I finally had a chance to stop in.  When I
walked in of course it looked like a fish store (everything in tanks) and I
went over to where the small animal stuff is.  I turned the corner and on
the top shelf in a small tank were about 6 ferrets.  I was horrified for one
it wasn't a big tank and it was filled with pine shavings.  One of the
clerks came over to see if I needed any help and I told him I was just
looking but pointed out that the ferrets didn't have any water.  His
response to me was that they water them at the end of the day and they drink
about two huge bottles a day (I'm assuming that this is because they are in
a fish tank with a light not very far above them) I let him know that
ferrets get dehydrated very easily and that they need to keep the bottle
filled.  He just said that he didn't know much about ferrets and that they
do it at the end of the day.
 
After standing there and holding the ferrets for a little while I saw that
they didn't have any food he said that they also do it at the end of the
day.  The tank was very messy with waste and I just was so bothered I didn't
know what to do.  He did point out that they were going to get their first
bath on Saturday but I'm starting to wonder if they will do that right.  I
told him to remember to use either a ferret shampoo or something made for
kittens.
 
I stayed up most of the night wondering what I should do.  My boyfriend said
to call animal cruelty but what will they do with them and will it be much
better??  Should I call the manager and see if he'll listen to me.  I'm
going to get a bigger cage for my two and I'll have my one story left.
Should I see if I could donate that to them.  I don't know what to do.
Please help.
 
Also I wanted to know if there were any Ferret Clubs in the Nashville area
and if there aren't if anyone around here would help me start one.
 
Please either post suggestions and/or email them to me at
[log in to unmask]
 
Thank you.
Cherri
[Posted in FML issue 2237]