I was tickled to see that the Jeffers catalogue offers 'Biker Jackets' for
ferrets.  It seems funny that next time Gilli, Guin, Dakota, and Simon go to
the vet, i could stride in wearing my black leather jacket and then open the
pet carrier door to let the ferrets stride out in *their* black leather
jackets!  8)
 
I doubt it'll happen, though, but it does remind me that from time to time,
people ask about transporting their ferrets without using a car.  Sometimes
it's a bicycle, and i saw at least one post about ferrets and motorcycles.
 
Well, those who know me wouldn't recognize me without a motorcycle - I don't
own a car.  I carry my ferrets in a pet carrier firmly strapped to the seat,
passenger position.
 
I have had some trepidations about carrying them on the motorcycle, which is
the only practical way to get them to the better veterinarians.  I don't
take them on trips anywhere else - I don't know that the noise pleases them,
although they seem to be curious and excited when I load them up, they seem
to be interested in the sounds and smells as we are enroute, and sleep if it
takes more than twenty minutes.
 
However, my experience and observations indicate silver linings.  It seems
to me that being in the pet carrier in the passenger position is safer than
being a person in that position - a person is going to come off and suffer
abrasion, the very fixed carrier, I think, is a better prospect.
 
Of course, an accident involving a direct impact is the greatest threat - I
am sad to think of what a little ferret would go through, hurled against the
walls of a pet carrier in that situation.  Worse is to consider the
possibility of the carrier being crushed.  These things can happen in
automobiles as well.
 
However, of the accidents I've seen and a significant one I was in, a few
years ago, the seat area is not impacted : bikes out of control quickly go
over on one side, where in most attitudes the bike itself will be between
the carrier and impacting objects - just like a car, the bike itself absorbs
considerable damage.  And the carrier does offer some protection from minor
impacts.
 
Another concern is the matter of weather - here, too, simple measures seem
to work well : fixed in the passenger position, placing the carrier door at
my back leaves only the louvres open to the sides; that is the wind is
deflected by my body and the backdraft doesn't have the opportunity to get
directly in the door.  As for cold, extra bedding can be provided, and for
heat, a wet towel on the roof of the carrier becomes a crude air conditioner
at speed; cold water bottles in the carrier help, too.  The situation in
rain is that, again, it is mostly deflected by my body; the carrier itself
is, of course, plastic and water proof.  The ferrets only get very little
spray.
 
One thing is for sure - don't take them in your jacket - they want to see
out just as much as you do, the sounds and smells tempt them out.  I tried
that once - I only got on and started the engine before the situation was
obvious.
 
For those who understand, I might add that I had to hurry to the vets one
day; I BROKE THE LAW - GASP!!!!!!!!!  - but having transported ferrets at
100mph prompted my vet to grin and quip about 'Ferrets in the Fast Lane'.
[Posted in FML issue 1998]