Hi I am a brand new ferret owner.  I have two 4 month olds.  I have
noticed a few people scince signing up for this list stating that they
promise to themselves and the FML community that they will not buy our
little ferret buddies from pet stores because if demand goes down then
so does the abused population in the pet stores.
 
However think about this.  If no one buys ferrets from any pet stores then
there will be fewer ferrets in the world.  Less people would want to buy
them seeing as they would be harder to get.  And less children would get
to say "Mommy what is that?" I believe that there are special children
that benifit from having a ferret buddy.  Where would they be.  After the
ferrets in the shelters are adopted and the way of getting a ferret is
more costly, longer and more stressful on our little friends (from a
shipment with other ferrets to alone and by ups) How will these children
and ourselves get healthy ferrets?  I think instead of not buying them
from a pet store.  Start writing the parent companies, start talking to
the managers and owners.  Fill them in on how to take care of our little
friends.  Fiqure out how to educate them.  Most of them will be more then
ready to talk to you and help their little animals.  A lot rides on them
having healthy animals and the more people help them and the more they
realize that people are watching ALL they do and the more the ferrets
will be treated right.  I bought my babies from a small locally owned pet
store.  The also keep them in bird type aquarium however the difference
is is that the demand for them is so high out here that they are only in
that cage for maybe 24 to 48 hours.  We bought our babies within the first
2 hours of them being in the store let alone the cage.  The came from
Canada, went to the store and then were bought by us.  The ladies there
have read the ferret books and have a lot of knowledge about all animals,
including reptiles.
 
The bigger stores are the way they are because people would rather say no
to buying from them then saying yes and educating them.  Please don't let
our ferret buddies suffer any more then they have to.  Get them homes
quickly instead of letting them sit there in that fish tank or bird area
suffering.  Please.
 
By the way I am very happy there is a mailing list like this.  I find it
very helpful with my babies.  Thanks for everyone posting their stories
and thoughts.
 
Angela and James Edwards, Savanna and Norman
[Posted in FML issue 3762]