Hi all--
I too an am ecxema sufferer, even if I don't think that I can spell it--
wow, we're all coming out now!  Seriously though, I don't react to my
ferrets, although I do react to plenty of other animals.  I believe it has
to do with diet-- not yours, although that's important too, but the ferret's
diet.  The better the food they eat, the healthier their coats will be, and
the less likely they are to produce dander and excess oils that irritate
human skin.  I'm pretty sensitive to most cats, because most cats are fed
supermarket chow; a friend of mine has her cats on this anti-allergy diet,
and not only do they have the softest, nicest coats I've ever seen on cats,
but I can rub my face on them and not break out.  If you're reacting to your
ferrets, try taking a look at the ingredients in their food, and maybe
upgrading.  Just a thought.  A word of caution on Vasoline products-- many
of them contain lanolin, which in many people's case will make a rash much
worse.  Believe me, I know :-(
 
Dominance-- I wonder if what we see as dominance fighting isn't just
jealousy over humans, territory, toys, other ferrets.  My two are still
fighting with each other-- we're going on nine months together now-- and
I've noticed that they most intensively try to get each other when one is
getting more attention from me than the other.  Amelia normally steers way
clear of Cully, but if I have him in my lap, she'll come bite him to make
him leave and then curl up in my lap in his place.  Maybe she thinks she's
protecting me!
 
Silly songs-- OK, I do it too.  To the tune of "I've got rhythm", it's "I've
got ferrets, I've got ferrets, I've got ferrets, spreading ferrets around".
"Dirt", "litter," etc might be put in the last line, depending what they've
just been into.  And to Amelia, I sing the chorus to Sonic Youth's Little
Trouble Girl-- you don't have to know anything about the band to appreciate
the title pinned on girl ferret of your choice.  Oh, and sometimes I'll sing
bits of the "What's This?" song from Nightmare Before Christmas to either
one of them.
 
Regina (my roommates don't think I'm nuts, they know it)
Amelia (thank heavens I'm half deaf)
Cully (if you keep up that racket I will be forced, compelled, to bite your
ankles)
 
my money's on Ignatious  ;-)
 
*********************************************
Regina Harrison
PhD Student, Anthropology
Joint Co-ordinator, AGSEM-- McGill's TA union
McGill University
Montreal, Quebec
[Posted in FML issue 1680]