I don't know what the situation is in America, but I've noticed in the years
I've had ferrets that the general public really don't have a clue what a
ferret is when they see one.  I'll give you an example of a typical day
walking my first ferret, an albino hob, Sylvester (died 1995).
 
Sylvester was happily trotting along on the lead, and suddenly stopped to
investigate something, and began walking along behind... A woman comes out
from a service station,
 
"Excuse me ma'am, but I think your pet has escaped...You've only got it's
wool rug on the leash."
 
It took a little explaining, and the sight of a large wriggling body to
convince her my pet had neither escaped, nor was I dragging a wool rug on a
leash!
 
A little further up the road, a little girl asks "What's that mummy?" The
answer was, of course, "It's a rabbit, dear."
 
A rabbit!  Further up the road, Sylvester became a guinea pig, and a smart
young businessman liked the 'chinchilla'.  An old lady was surprised that I
was allowed to keep a seal pup, and a number thought I had some kind of
deformed dog.  Several people crossed the road so they wouldn't have to go
anywhere near the strange lady walking her rat on the footpath, and a few
cat-lovers were surprised I could train my cat to walk on a leash.  I'm
grateful Sylvester took all of this in his stride (I think he was impressed
at the ignorance displayed in the course of one day).  Naturally, I got a
few people who asked if he was a stoat or weasel, which, after the others,
was a pleasant surprise.  At least they had the right family!  However, I
must admit, of all the people Sylvester and I saw on that day, two did
people guess that he was a ferret, even though both had to ask (they weren't
sure - they'd seen a ferret on TV's Bloopers a few months before).
 
An interesting point to ponder was that when the various people were told
what Sylvester was, several screeched "A ferret!  How disgusting!" Even
though only seconds earlier they were happily stroking that lovely cat, and
patting that gorgeous rabbit.  Human nature is a strange and fickle thing,
I'm sad to say.  People generally prefer to believe what they hear from
their best friends' second cousin, rather than what they see right in front
of their noses.  So, I must take my hat off to those who say they don't like
ferrets.  I believe that many have neither seen, nor experienced these
wonderful friends and family members.  I hope that one day soon, they may
meet other ferret owners who can show exactly what a ferret is like - their
friendly, playful personality...
 
I could go on.  Anyway, this was just a point to ponder for those out there
who know and love our fuzz-balls, and for those who have never experienced
them.  Before judging, I'd advise to maybe learn a little about that which
you're judging.  You may find you're wrong.  Anyway, I'm getting a little
too philosophical here, so I'll get going.
 
Bye
Sam and family
Ferrets: Gemn (tail-less wonder), Guy (lazy), Podo (my baby), Slinky
(nicknamed Stinky), and Vader (crazy)
Cats: Mule (stubborn as...) and Silver (whom everyone loves)
Rainbow Lorikeets: Johnny (baldy) and Jeni (cute as a multi-coloured
button)
[Posted in FML issue 1877]