For our 2013 Calendar our sub theme is "12 things every ferret needs."
We try to put a little education in every calendar. This is already
on Joe Ferret's Facebook page and a better list will in Sunday's
CLIFFNotes - but any help and suggestion from such an esteemed group
of ferret lovers as the FML would be of great help!

1 Every ferret needs a loving home. They need people that realize
ferrets are big investment in time and money. Ferrets need people who
realize that ferrets require interaction with their people, people with
patience not to get upset over ferret poop in the corner and people
with big enough bank accounts to take care of the inevitable ferret
veterinary bills

2 Proper Nutrition. Ferrets require owners who know not to skimp on
their food. Good ferret food and be expensive, cheap ferret food - or
worse, cat food can cause a lot of damage. Every ferret requires the
very best diet available.

3 Veterinary Care - Every ferret needs to be seen by a veterinarian
trained in ferret care, not a dog and cat veterinarian. Ferrets have
very specific medical needs that a veterinarian trained in dogs and
cats won't know. Ferrets need an owner who will make sure they have
all their distemper shots and not misunderstand when the pet store
tells them "they've had all their shots." "All their shots for a baby
that is - your ferret will require more vaccinations as he gets older.
Canine distemper is 100% fatal in ferrets.

4 Stimulation - Ferrets are intelligent animals, they need to keep
their brains stimulated. They need time out of their care (a couple
hours a day) to explore. Enrich your ferret's time out of the cage
with all sorts of new things; grocery bags, tunnels, boxes, etc.

5 Safety. Ferrets are tragedy prone. They go where they are not
supposed to, they get out, and they get stepped on. Ferrets deserve
humans who understand the risks such a small and curious animal can
get themselves into. And people who will strive to make the ferret's
home as safe as possible' i.e. "ferret proofing."

6 Freedom from ear mites. One of the most annoying things for ferrets
is their propensity to get ear mites - which will soon drive any ferret
crazy. Clean your ferret's ear gently with an ear mite killer approved
for kittens once or twice a month and you'll avoid those expensive ear
mite remedies from your vet.

7 Nail trimming. Ferrets require their nails trimmed approximately once
a week. Distract your ferret with a little ferrevite and trim their
nails carefully. Avoid cutting to close or you'll hit a vein in the
nail. If that happens use a little talcum powder to stop the bleeding.

8 Treats. Speaking of treats, a little ferrevite is a good thing. Avoid
raisins and other sweats for fear of giving your ferret insulinoma, a
tumor in the pancreas that produces too much insulin

9 Understanding. Think like a ferret. Ferrets do things for a reason
and ferret owners need to understand. We know of one ferret breeder who
bites their ferrets thinking it will stop baby ferrets from biting.
Wrong and Stupid! Your ferrets wants to please, but it also wants to
have a good time.

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Pat Wright
LegalizeFerrets.org
Phone/Fax: (619) 303-0645
Cell: (619) 757-7426
[log in to unmask]
www.legalizeferrets.org

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[Posted in FML 7457]