We had a family member in a close region have a eagle almost get one
of their cats, and a dog have to be moved away from a rattler.
Can't do much about snakes except trust them to avoid interactions
when they can, but wouldn't it be possible to make a frame with light
wood and chicken wire to sift over the ferrets when outdoors to reduce
or eliminate the bird hazard?
There is another consideration when a ferret digs or plays in bodies of
water outdoors -- infection (fungal, bacterial, parasitic). There are
past vet posts on that, for example:
http://ferrethealth.org/archive/YPG288http://ferrethealth.org/archive/FHL4180http://ferrethealth.org/archive/FHL2043
(Remember that how long CDV lives in soil depends on the conditions.
If recently deposited, or if damp and/or cold it is more likely to be
present or to last longer -- up to years if frozen, but if hot and dry
it lasts a shorter time because the protective fatty envelope this
particular virus has fails.)
http://ferrethealth.org/archive/YPG231http://ferrethealth.org/archive/SG9135http://ferrethealth.org/archive/SG7375http://ferrethealth.org/archive/YG7993http://ferrethealth.org/archive/YG6033
and there are more, of course...
Are these terribly likely? Well, luckily except for Canine Distemper
and in some areas Toxoplasmosis, the most likely ones are the least
serious ones BUT it still pays to learn about the possible infections
and to watch for them because some are very serious (though luckily
rare for some of those), and even less serious things reduce quality
of life so need to prompt veterinary response. There have even been
ferrets killed by fleas and ticks when they wound up with too many...
So, no matter what a person's husbandry choices are it pays to know
the documented potential downsides and the hypothesized downsides so
that prompt response with accurate vet care can take place.
P.S. even those who can't post on the FHL for whatever reasons can
still read the archives so that all can be helped.
Sukie (not a vet)
Recommended ferret health links:
http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/ferrethealth/http://ferrethealth.org/archive/http://www.afip.org/ferrets/index.htmlhttp://www.miamiferret.org/fhc/http://www.ferretcongress.org/http://www.trifl.org/index.shtmlhttp://homepage.mac.com/sukie/sukiesferretlinks.html
[Posted in FML 6081]
