Judy Gallipeau:
 
Jumping onto your comments about people reacting badly to ferrets as being
overgrown rats and "how can a rat have a personality" -- I basically agree
with your assessment about how badly people misjudge ferrets.  IMO, they
are mainly conditioned by the unfortunate reputation ferrets have acquired
over the years (personally I blame a lot of it on those California health
department folks who continue to distribute their badly flawed "studies"
on ferret bite statistics).
 
As Small Mammals Section leader in the CompuServe Pets/Animals Forum for
the past year, I have spent an awful lot of time in that year educating
people about ferrets.  And I've had my eyes opened: whereas a year ago I
would have recommended a ferret pretty much wholeheartedly as a pet, I
would no longer do so.  Some people simply cannot cope with a ferret's
special needs and/or rambunctious personality.  Nowadays I spend a lot of
time asking folks to please do their homework first, and to ask lots and
lots of questions.  Ferrets just aren't for everyone, in my considered
opinion!  I say this at the same time acknowledging that ferrets are the
best pets I've ever had!  I would not trade my five for anything (despite
the fact that Sigmund today destroyed my carefully dried bouquet from my
sister's wedding!).
 
But I would also like to add that, as Small Mammals section leader, I've
learned an awful lot about other small furry critters in the past year,
most of them rodents (rats, mice, guinea pigs, gerbils, hamsters).  At any
rate, I must tell you that rat fanciers are more fiercely loyal to their
pet rats than almost anyone!  My point is simply that rats get bad press
too -- and that we're all conditioned in one way or another.  Just want
folks to think twice before denigrating pet rats...I figure we small
mammal fans have got to stick together, as it seems to me that in general,
society considers any small mammal -- be it ferret, rabbit or rodent -- as
a pet of little consequence.
 
Anyhow, my reaction to folks who call my ferrets rats is to point out that
ferrets are not rodents.  I also remind them that ferrets are related to
otters -- and that usually helps, because most folks react favorably to
the playful image of an otter!
 
OK, I'm getting off that soapbox again...sorry, folks, guess I'm feeling a
little wound up today.  Must be time to play with the ferrets... :-)
 
--------------------------------------------------
Katie Fritz
Small Mammals Section Leader/CompuServe Pets Forum
Internet: [log in to unmask]  CIS: 71257,3153
 
[Posted in FML issue 0720]