Hi all,
My dream home for the ferrets would be.....carpeted...but with a three inch
frame out from each and every wall....without my silly Pawley cat...who
makes life a living hell when it comes to messed up litter pans, eaten
ferret food, broken hammocks from his fat butt squeezing into them...
without the need for cages....double entry doors front and back......an
outside run built onto the house that was totally ferret safe....built in
vacuum system set up high in the walls with ferret-proof lock-out doors...
tables with special bottoms to hang hammocks from....separate washer/dryer
for fuzzy laundry...a "dining" area with holes only the ferrets could get
into that could be opened up top for easy access...and last but definitely
not least, a ceiling tube system that looked atrractive that ran all over
the house!
 
Licensing is an option done in some states, but without the manpower to
check up on things, it is really just a waste of money, that won't go to
help ferrets out anyway, but into politicians' pockets.  The only real way
to ensure good care of ferrets is to do like they have done at most pet
stores with cats and dogs...QUIT selling them there!  And how long has it
taken for the larger chains to stop with cats and dogs?  Many, many years
and many, many euthanized abandons later.  Unfortunately, I think that
history will have to repeat itself with ferrets.  On our side is the fact
that they ARE gaining hugely in popularity, but it will still take quite a
few years for the animal shelters to get together and say, hey, we've been
getting way too many ferrets in here...can you big chain stores gives us a
hand, and we will promote you once again as a responsible store like we did
when you stopped selling dogs and cats.  Yes, there will still be the
mills, but as ferrets become more well known, conscientious pet buyers will
look more and more to breeders, who are in a better position to educate
owners regarding care, etc.  People WILL eventually realize that they are
NOT getting a hampster when they purchase a ferret...until then, all we can
do is educate, educate, and educate some more.
 
Lisette, there is a bit of work before entering a ferret into a
championship ring, but you are dead-on accurate about one thing.  General
grooming practices need to be done all the time, and although it's been
several years since I've shown any ferrets, the primary judgement between
two good ferrets comes down to the one who appears to be properly taken
care of better ON A REGULAR BASIS.  There's an incredibly easy way to tell
between a ferret who's nails are cut just before showing and one who's
nails are cut regularly...<G>
 
Stephanie.....LOL about your garbage room post....ya just have to say it
with that snooty accent..  garb`age!!!!  There....isn't that better....
oops, gotta go, the hubbie's grumbling 'bout steppin on something..........
Michele & the 8-iz-enuff crew
[Posted in FML issue 2836]