Trudi, I would like to address your comments about our website and the
intact ferrets.  Sharon, who is the shelter mom, has a contract that
owners must sign stating that they will be fixed.  She is not trying to
breed the shelter kids or adopt them out when they are intact.  It is the
money aspect of it that makes it hard on the shelter.  She runs this
shelter with little to no financial help (other than her own money).  She
has vet bills for some other permanent sick ferrets that have to be paid
on and at this time cannot get the ferrets fixed.  Of course she wants
them fixed.  I am sure that if she were to adopt a ferret out to someone
that she didn't know and trust, that she would require them to be fixed
before they left the shelter (at the expense of the new owner).
 
>or maybe they have been handled wrong
 
if you're are talking about the biters or really any of the animals...no
they have not been handled wrong.  One of the biters is still young and
needs training.  As for the 3 year old Dew...she is a sweetie...however,
we were trying to be honest and not put down that everything is perfect
with these little guys.  Would that be better?  We put these things on
there so that people would know that this one has problems with something
or someone....I would rather know that an animal - no matter what kind -
had a problem with something than be told that they were great with
everything and then to only find out later that they don't like men or
that they don't like other ferrets.  The point I am trying to make is that
they have not been mishandled and I am saddened to think that you would
believe a shelter to mishandle ANY animal.  As I am sure you are aware,
the shelters do not do this for the money because all they do is spend
money, time and love on the animals.  They do it for the love of the
animals.
 
>we cannot even help the ones that are put to sleep in Tucson alone..did
>you know that the figure is over 63,000.00?  and that's in Tucson..
 
please tell me where you are getting your information and numbers.  Does
that include the ones that are put to sleep because of health reasons by
owners and shelters?  I just called the Animal Shelter in Tucson (3450 N.
Kelvin Boulevard in Tucson, Arizona) and the Adoption lady told me that
they don't have any ferrets.  She said that they may get 2 in a month but
they are normally adopted right back out.  Is there another animal shelter
besides the main one?  If there are that many ferrets being put to sleep
(63,000 is that a year?) then please tell me where they are and I will
adopt as many as I can.
 
>putting your vets contact number and address name and number would
>probably get you what you wanted
 
That is a wonderful idea and one that I didn't think of - thank you.  The
shelter was started almost a year ago and we are just now starting to get
the word out on the net about it.  We are still learning how and where to
ask for help.  So, thank you...I will put the information on the site
today about the vet.  Here it is in case you would like to help out with
the cost of getting them fixed (each one runs from $70 - $170).
DVM Karen Medkeff, Coronado Veterinary Hospital P.C.  4181 E. Glenn Road
Sierra Vista, AZ 85650   Phone: (520) 378-6666.
 
Trudi...you commented
>when they bite scruff them gently and look them in their face and tell
>them no....and blow one short fast breath into their face...do this
>everytime they bite...on the 4th time do the same but put them in time
>out after you cruff them
 
I am not sure where this advice is coming from.  We never said we hit or
train wrong.  I recently adopted a ferret who is deaf and who has a biting
problem.  I have only had her for 3 weeks and while she still bites, she
is not as bad and since we know that she can't hear, we don't come up from
behind like we can with our other ferret.  Hitting?  Of course not.  It
would be like hitting a newborn baby because they won't stop crying.  I
normally don't put them back in their cage for it either though (to me
that teaches them that the cage is punishment).  My ferrets are allowed to
run most of the house.  They actually go to their cage when they want to
sleep...they do this on there own and not because I shoved them in there.
 
Thank you for your comments and your help.  But please, do not judge just
by what you see or think.  If you had a question about this...I personally
think that it should have been addressed to the shelter first and not
posted on FML.  I feel that we had to defend ourselves to the whole "FML
World".  Which, I guess is ok because we have done nothing wrong.
 
We are having a BBQ fund raiser November 18th at the Veterans Memorial
Park in Sierra Vista.  Starts at 10 am.  If you would like to
come...please feel free to.  You can meet us and some ferrets.
 
Joanne
www.geocities.com/ferretcorneraz/index
[Posted in FML issue 3596]