To FerretFan:
 
     >Someone recently asked me about ferrets and Christmas trees.  I'm
     >getting a table top tree this year because I have 9 ferrets and I
     >don't want to temp them.  I'm sure they would think a tree with shiny
     >ornaments would be a great toy.  The question is:  would the pine
     >pitch from a real tree be harmful to ferrets?  Or the needles for
     >that matter?  Does anyone out there know about this?
 
        Ferrets and Christmas trees go well togethr, with supervision and
     some common sense.  Colleen and I will have our fifth Christmas tree
     this year, and have no problems.  Here's what to watch out for:
 
        1.  Pitch.  Pitch will not hurt the ferrets, but will make them
     sticky.  The ferrets will want to drink the water out of the bottom of
     the tree stand.  This will not hurt them, as long as you don't put any
     "tree preservative" in it.  Tree preservatives contain a wide variety
     of chemicals including aspirin.  This will most likely make your feret
     very sick and can kill it.  So NO tree preservatives, only water.
 
        2.  Keep all electric lights, tinsel, and any non-chewable
     ornaments off of the lower two feet of the tree.  The ferrets will get
     as high as they can to pull these off and chew them, sometimes with
     disastrous results.  Most ferrets will not climb, so 24 inches is a
     good height.  We always put some large metal jingle bells and hard
     rubber ornaments within their reach, so they have something to play
     with.
 
        3.  Wire your tree up.  You wouln't want it to fall over on them.
 
        4.  Sweep up pine needles daily.  Pine needles can be swallowed and
     the hard kind can even perforate the stomach or intestine.  My ferrets
     don't chew the needles, but they will play with them.
 
        5.  Don't leave ferrets unattended around the tree.  No mater how
     remote trouble is, ferrets will find it.
 
        We have some great photos and videotape of our ferrets in and
     around the tree over the last couple of years.  I wouldn't have them
     miss Christmas and the tree for the world.
 
     Bruce Williams, DVM   [log in to unmask]
[Posted in FML issue 1025]