I hesitate to ask this because I don't want people to freak out about it,
but a friend asked me yesterday if I still have my ferrets (of course I do!)
she then said that in a health class she took for work they listed animals
that carry salmanilla (I can't spell, but it's that stuff that can make you
sick from raw chicken and things) she said that ferrets were on that list
and it is found in their feces.  Other animals listed were those little soft
shell turtles that people use to keep (apparently banned because of this)
and iguanas.  I told her that it didn't sound right and I would check on it.
anyone heard of such a thing?  People please do not freak about this, as
even if true I have never heard of problems resulting from it, and I am sure
that not many of use let ferret poop contact our food, and I know if I clean
it up I make sure to wash my hands afterwards.
 
Also on Time out in the cage.  Lex and Gidget use the newspaper sometimes
when they are out, and are getting better (previous owner paper trainined
rather than liter trained) but when mistakes happen if caught they will be
put on to paper given a stern NO and the confined to cage where Lex will
promptly curl up and go to sleep like "OK, I don't mind" This is
infuriating, he loves runtime, and can't wait to get out, but as a
punishment confinement won't work.
 
By the way, I finally put a litter pan in their cage (previous owner had put
papers in tray under wire cage bottom to catch feces and urine) I decieded
that they had enough time to get use to us, now on to training.  well, they
dug and dug and dug and threw litter all over the cage floor and their
blankets.  so I felt pretty much downhearted, but when I came home from work
the next day Gidget was pooping in the litterbox!!!  my wife said that they
had both been using it all day!!!  whoever suggested putting comfy blankets
to cover everywhere other than "bathroom" THANK YOU.  for all of you still
struggling (I know it's not over for me yet either) try this, I took all
their blankets and covered the entire cage even under the food dishs and
water bottles the only place not covered is their litterbox now it is two
days and so far I haven't seen a miss in the cage outside the cage, well you
can't have everything!
 
Bill Pelfrey
[log in to unmask]
[Posted in FML issue 1992]