Re: Ferrets in NY state
So far as I know, ferrets are illegal in New York City, and a permit is
required in the rest of the state.  (Some other counties and cities may
not allow ferrets, so check locally.)  These permits are (still) valid for
any number of "ferrets or fitch-ferrets," including breeding and selling.
I agree that most likely the state just wants to get its $10, but actually,
they may be helping the ferret community without intending to.  In our
case, for instance, once we decided we wanted a ferret, it was another
three weeks before we received our permit.  During those three weeks, we
built our cage and learned quite a bit more about the fuzzies than the
Barron's book we first looked in had told us.  The waiting period itself
may help avoid some of the impulse purchases that end up in rescue shelters.
 
Re: Peppermint
We tried peppermint hard candy on our pair yesterday, with amazingly
predictable results.  Rusty, the "chunky" male who'll eat anything from
carrots to spaghetti (but not plain cooked chicken), loved it at first
sniff.  Pixxel, our finicky female who wouldn't even try Petromalt until
we rubbed her nose in it, deigned to taste the mint only after we rubbed
Ferretone on it (ick, what a combination), and looked up at us as though
to say, "Why'd you go and ruin my Ferretone like that?"  :-)  Thank you,
whoever first suggested it!
 
- Pam
[log in to unmask]
friend to Pixxel and Rusty the furry snakes
keeper of the Pet Ferret FAQ -- current version is 1.1; email for a copy
 
[Posted in FML issue 0737]