Hi, All,
I live in central Florida, and have always thought that our climate would be
ideal for wild ferrets.  Cray, I'll be glad to go 'hunting', if your vet can
tell me where this feral colony is supposed to be.
 
Two quick stories:
I had one of my first ferrets get loose the first time she went into heat.
We got her back about 2 weeks later, and 2 miles from home.  Not having had
any success finding the Lord of Feral Ferrets, she had moved into someone
elses washroom, and was probably scavanging for food.  After 2 weeks she was
in perfect health, but seemed to have decided her natural environment was w/
humans.
 
I've gotten several ferrets 'from the wild', but most had tattoos in their
ears and all had been handled, i.e., raised by humans.
 
A few months ago, I got a call from a woman who had a ferret living in her
barn.  She was concerned about fleas, and I recommended Advantage.
Apparently, the ferret (a MF) had wondered in and set up housekeeping near
the catfood dish.  It is playful and can be picked up, but they treat it
like their 'other' outside cats.  I recommended a vet and better foods,
etc., and a cage off the ground.  I don't really know these people, but am
sure they are still treating the ferret as their oddest farm cat.
 
Well, I think that is as feral as ferrets get around here.  We have the sort
of stream-side environment they are designed for, and mine occasionally
catch Anol lizards inside their cages.  Lots of food, but lots of competing
predators as well.  And fleas that have been known to bleed a dog to death!
 
Paul
[Posted in FML issue 1993]