I wasn't on the list when this discussion happened but I would like to
reply to Sillygirl's response.
 
Right now, I am only 21 years old so my ferret and my kitten are my
babies and I think they are definately better then children (I don't like
kids much at all - too expensive, too loud, too messy, too annoying - I
don't have patience for children)
 
My ferret and kitten are spoiled rotten too.  Instead of buying just a
regular cat bed, I purchased a old fashioned basket with soft hello kitty
lining and pillow for $50.00.
 
At the hint of anything remotely wrong with their health or personality
I am at the vets asking a million questions and practically making them
sign their life away that they will be ok before I bring them home.  I am
one of those annoying customers :) (although I would understand if they
missed something - as nobody is perfect and things happen)
 
I research all the food and treats I buy them before hand - compare
ingrediants and so forth.  At first I tried to buy my ferret the best
food there was out there.  Unfortunately he turned his nose up to it!
Then I tried to buy him "luxury" food (A small 2lb bag was $25.00) and he
didn't like that.  I tried Totally Ferret and he didn't like that either.
Then we found a food he absolutely loved, it was softer kibble with dried
banana peices (I can't remember the name of it) which I purchased out of
town.  When I came back to my town I found that they didn't sell it and
could not order it - and the people who I knew in the other town did not
live there anymore and sadly the store would not send it to me.  So after
a million different ferret foods we have settled on 8-1 ferret food -
which ingrediants look great and it is one of the lesser expensive foods
and my ferret loves it!  He gets chicken and turkey regularily, as well
as a little bit of fruits and veggies.  He loves to drink Kitten Milk.
He is a healthy, active 3lb little boy.
 
As for feeding ferrets live food - I understand that animals like lions
and snakes etc need live food but I don't think it is right to feed
ferrets live mice and rats as they live fine without it.  I could not
watch that happen but I am not condemming anyone who does it.
 
I had a rat in my apartment (who was pretty cute) I could not see how at
all he could have came into the apartment from outside.  The way the
apartments are set up it is pretty much impossible unless he opened the
door, walked up three flights of stairs (the apartments are only on the
top floor) and choose apartment 3 and waited for me to open my door and
let him in.  He may have came in with our new refurbished refridgerator
or he was a loose pet.  I could not bare to kill the poor thing.  So I
chased him around the house with a basket - the thing was much faster
then I was!  And finally we just patched the hole where he hides in
(which leads to my neighbours cupboards.) *grin* I could not imagine
feeding something that cute to my ferret - doubt I could ever look at my
ferret the same way after that (or myself!)
 
As for all the people who post their "clever with words" responses to
other people (which are pretty much arguments and not debates - as
everyone seems to be attacking and defending their character) I would
just like to say - Read what the person wrote - you don't have to agree
with what they say - your allowed to be angry - but a message board is no
place to get into it with the person.  If you want them to clarify or
have a question about what they said, why not email them personally and
ask them if they would mind talking about what they wrote before you ask
them your question or to clarify, disagree with what they said.  I read a
lot of things in here that I don't necessarily agree with - but I do not
go and post condesending, 10 day long back and forth messages about it.
 
I would have to agree with Nathania when she says it's getting to be too
much.
 
Hopefully I haven't blacklisted myself :)  Maybe somethings will
change?!?  I am not sure but I wouldn't be a big deal if it didn't cause
all I have to do is just skip over the messages I don't want to read I
guess.  That is hard to do as I believe everyone has something
worth-while to say.
 
I hope everyone will have a great day - and Happy Halloween (My ferret is
going to be a devil - I made him these cute little horns - my cat is just
going to be herself as I have a hard enough time brushing her and I don't
need to have my eyes clawed out for trying to dress her up!)
 
Ta ta everyone,
Mahlyssa
 
[Moderator's note: YOU certainly aren't blacklisted, but the topic is.
Your post was generic enough to make it into the digest but, please, the
"sillygirl"/Blossom debate is over.  BIG]
[Posted in FML issue 3950]