While channel surfing Saturday or yesterday, caught a segment on Pet News
regarding introducing ferrets to felines.  Mittens the ferret was very hyper
and curious about what was going on.  The person handling the ferret acted
IMHO & Rich's opinion that she was afraid of handling the squirmy fert.  She
even admitted she preferred to having the ferret in some kind of pouch that
Mittens went into after he/she was put down on the table.  I don't know if
anyone else caught this part of the show but why don't they acquaint the
human and the ferret before the segment is shot to insure that the ferret
will be handled properly and what to do if the ferret gets squirmy.
 
It just upsets me to see people on "pet shows" that are not very familiar
with handling of ferrets and other animals and it comes across in the
humans body language that they are afraid or leary of handling any animal
they are not familiar with.
 
My 2 cents on that.
 
Went into Pet World on Saturday to get treats, supplies, toys, etc for the
boys and checked on the fuzzies they had.  Only 6 adorable kits were in the
cage.  Two of them acted as if they were wheezing and doing alot of
sneezing.  The bedding was pine not aspen.  I even answered customers
questions about the fuzzballs as there was no salesperson around to help
them out.  As I was checking out I mentioned to two of the gals behind the
counter that the fuzz kits were having some problems with wheezing and
sneezing due to the pine bedding.  One of the gals, who seemed to be in
charge, said that they aren't in the bedding for a long period that within a
week they are sold and they get new ones in.  When I mentioned that the pine
bedding isn't good for them no matter what she said that someone told her
that as long as it wasn't cedar that they should use pine bedding.  She went
on to say that she informs customers that they can use pine bedding for the
ferrets.  I just wonder what else she tells customers that is incorrect
about the fuzzies care.  I am bound and determined not to deal with that
store again.  Just a peeve of mine.  My nickels worth for what it's worth.
 
Question for all animal lovers: Would there be a demand on health insurance
designed for pets?  An idea that a friend of mine and myself have been
kicking around for a while.  It would be like people insurance covering
shots, surgeries, etc.
 
Have a great ferrety day.
 
Joyce
Bo & Tye
[Posted in FML issue 2256]