>Which would you rather see in the kit: Nutrical, Ferretvite(8-in-1) or
>Furovite (Marshalls)?  Also, would you rather see a small vial of Karo syup
>or Honey?  We are interested in knowing if anyone feels the Karo Syup or
>Honey is a moot point due to the inclusion of a Nutrical, Ferretvite or
>Furotone?
 
I prefer Nutrical over Ferrevite, I don't buy Marshall's products, so
Furovite would not be included.  I prefer Karo syrup, although glucose
tablets (available in any pharmacy) are preferable to either, aren't a
liquid that can leak and make a mess, are inexpensive and will last for
years in their vial.  A tube of cake icing or Marshmallow Fluff can also be
used during seizures.  I would also suggest cotton swabs be included in
order to rub the substance on the gums, when a ferret is seizing I do not
ever get my fingers near its mouth.  I think that both Nutrical and either
Karo or glucose tabs need to be included.  Nutrical can be used for MANY
purposes- distraction while tending to nails or a minor injury being some,
while the Karo or Glucose is there for immediate sugar boost in case of
seizures.  It is more "liquid" and therefore easier to administer to a
ferret during a seizure when mouth is tightly clamped shut.
 
As far as spaying jills, aside from anemia, there are other considerations
to a whole Jill, the foremost being pyrometria.  This painful and often
fatal infection of the uterus can't happen in a spayed jill.  The worst
part about this disease is that symptoms often don't appear until the
ferret is critically ill.  I also feel that there are more than enough
breeders good and bad, large and small out there that all of ferretdom is
not in danger of extinction if jills are spayed.  When there are no more
ferrets in shelters, I might think differently.
 
A little off topic- Do snakes have a sense of smell?  Are they afraid of
ferrets?  One of my neighbors has a recurring problem with a snake laying
on his doorstep.  If we sprinkled some dried ferret feces around would that
possibly ward off the snake?  Of should I call my snake/reptile rescue
friend and have him come and cart the thing off?  We have already had an
exterminator relocate the snake back into the woods twice, and are pretty
sure it is the same one that keeps reappearing.  BTW- I don't know anything
about snakes, so I don't know what type it is although the exterminator did
say it was not poisonous, just a nuiscance.
 
We have boarded ferrets for a long time here at the shelter.  We have three
who have been here since February (?), one since June, and one on and off
since January.  We don't really know when any of them are going home, or if
they ever will permanently.  Three of the boarders have been intergrated in
with my personal ferrets.  (I only integrate LONG TERM boarders, and then
only after they have been here for a month or more and the owners agree.)
The owners of all of them call or e-mail regularly.  I don't have a problem
with long-term boarding unless the owners make no effort to contact you.
(We did have that problem last year, and the owner ultimately chose to give
the ferrets up.) Our boarding form specifically states that ferrets not
picked up by "X" will be considered abandoned, however I have never had to
enforce this.  If I am not sure if they are boarding or dumping when they
call, I ask for the boarding fee upfront.  This seems to weed them out
right away.  Of the long term boarders here right now, I am only being paid
for one, the others belong to friends who are supplying food, etc., but are
simply unable to have the ferrets in their homes for various reasons right
now.  As far as the ferret that belongs to the girl who lives in CA now, I
would ask to speak to her mother, and inform her that ferrets are illegal
in CA, tell her what the fines are and that the family may be subject to
arrest, etc.  I have a feeling they will relinquish the ferret immediately.
 
Dee writes about the ick that can happen in the Midwest cages- we keep
Crok- Loks under each water bottle in order to avoid problems with the
dropped food getting wet.  Works for all cage types.
 
-Anne
[Posted in FML issue 2439]