Hello everyone!
 
Thanks to the folks who e-mailed me about the permits that are (were?)
required in New Jersey.  The licenses I had been referring to are the
typical dog and cat licenses that most people know about.  I wasn't
thinking beyond the local level.  I'd forgotten about those permit forms
that pet stores give out.  I have never been given one and I own 11 ferrets
so far.  Only one came from a pet store, but the shelter/breeder most of my
guys came from never gave me any either.  I'd love to know if they're still
required, now that ferrets have been reclassed as domestic animals in NJ.
I think a call to the Dept of Fish and Game is in order.  I'll call on
Monday and anything I find out, I'll report here.
 
If I might make a suggestion in regards to covering vet bills.  I've
arranged with my bank to automatically transfer $25 from my paycheck every
week into an account set aside for animal care.  If/when I get a better job
(Cross your fingers!  I'm going for an interview Tuesday!), I'll bump that
amount up to at least $50 if not more.  I have ALOT of animals to cover.
 
Also, I'd like to mention my ferrets' vet, Dr. Kim of Ridgefield Park.
He is a wonderful, caring vet who has done wonders with my mystery boy,
Mercury, who had his abdomen swell up to the size of a softball.  After
blood tests and biopsies, ultrasound and x-rays, and 2 weeks of
antibiotics, Dr. Kim performed surgery to remove an enlarged spleen and a
bad adrenal gland.  There's still no clue for the cause of the abnormal fat
deposits he found, but they've gone away since the surgery.  Mercury is
doing wonderful: he's back to being slim and sassy, and has regrown his
pitiful, coarse coat completely.  It is worth the hour drive to bring my
ferrets all the way to Ridgefield Park to Dr. Kim.  I'd suggest him to
anyone with ferrets.  And his staff are the best of any vet I've taken my
many pets to!  Being able to call Yvonne DeCarlo with questions about my
kids is a comfort I'd not like to be without.  Thanks, Yvonne!  Oh, and
chubby boy Sam is losing weight and walking properly more often.
 
To explain that last comment, I took in 2 year old Sam from a mom and her
son who didn't want him anymore.  Sam came to me weighing at least 4 pounds
and looking like a chubby fur seal.  In fact, he moved like a fur seal too.
He slid along the ground, pushing with his back legs out to the side like
fins.  I was concerned that he might have hip problems from his weight.  He
needed a change in diet; the family had been feeding him TenderVittles-type
cat food.  Sam is visibly trimming up, even tho he still has his great big
bull head.  And he's picking himself up on his hips and walking properly
more and more.  He did especially well when I took him on a visit to my
local PetSmart.  The slippery floor forced him to walk right, and I intend
to take him there for weekly exercise as most of my floors are carpeted.  I
had never heard of overweight ferrets before.  Most of the ferrets I know
are the skinniest things, including some of my own.  Sam may be the cutest,
sweetest thing, but that flab has got to go!
 
Now that I've embarrassed myself by running off at the mouth, I'm off to
play with my mob.  It really is a joy to have ferret folks to talk to.
 
Take care all!
 
Anastasia Kidd
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[Posted in FML issue 2844]