[Nancy, could you mail me a copy of the headers from this issue?
I think I've fixed the problems]
 
 
> The only bad habit my ferret has is getting inside sofas and chairs from
> underneath.
 
Ferret proofing furniture is actually very easy.  Just get some burlap,
or other heavy material, and staple it to the bottom of the sofa/chair.
The only tool you need is a heavy-duty stapler.  :-)
 
Or, if you just plain don't want them under the sofa, you can really
go overboard and do what we did.  We took all the legs off the sofas,
and made bases for them out of 2x4's.  It actually looks a lot nicer,
and I feel safer knowing that they can't get under there.  But, you
do need a considerable amount of tools & woodworking know-how.
(unfortunately, then the kids learned that they could "burrow" between
the back and arms to get into the sofa.  So, I spent an afternoon
sewing them up.  What fun...)
 
> which he loves, and Linatone which is better than the toy.  It's expensive
> ($10.50 a bottle) but in the past seven months he hasn't even had 1/4 of the
> bottle. This also works good when clipping nails.  At least my ferret is as
> happy as a baby with a bottle when he gets some linatone.
 
It doesn't sound like this is a problem for you, personally, but I'm taking
the opportunity to bring this up...
 
Please be advised, while Linatone is a wonderful vitamin supplement to
the ferret's diet, it can have toxic effects when given in excess.  Excess
fat soluble vitamins, such as A, D, and E are not rapidly expelled from
the body.  The will accumulate in different organs, eventually reaching
toxic levels.  So please limit your offering of Linatone to one or two
drops, which should only be given once or twice a week.
 
[Our vet considers a couple of drops per day to be okay]
 
About nail clipping.  Have you tried smearing a drop on his belly when
you clip his nails?  I just tried this recently, on the advice of a
friend, it worked *WONDERFULLY*.
 
> [None of the ones in our pet stores are neutered.  None of our three were.
> (one was a foundling, one was purchased from a basement breeder, and the
> third was store-bought]
 
That's surprising.  I've never met a whole, store bought ferret.  As
far as I know, though, all major ferret farms (Path Valley, Marshall
Farms, etc...) only send out altered ferrets to stores.  But I can't
prove that, and I certainly wouldn't bet much money on it.  :-)
 
> [Good grief - at any age.  Our vet sections thru the belly.  Mind you,
> this is one of the *human* hysterectomy techniques...]
 
I've also never heard of a vet (well, aside from those employed by
the farms) who use that technique.
 
> [Toby wasn't that bad a stinker.  He was about 10 mos. at spaying.  Big
> playful affectionate klutz.]
 
O.K., I've never owned a male ferret...  Maybe it's just when they're in
season that they stink.   Can anyone give some more information on
this???
 
Personal:  Deborah,  I got your mail message, but I was unable to send
mail to you.  If you send me another message, with the best e-mail
address to get through to you, I'll try again.
 
- Nancy
 
Nancy Hartman                                   CIS graduate student
[log in to unmask]                                U. of Delaware
        President and founder, Delaware Valley Ferret Club
                      Owner of Percy & Bree
                                                                          
[Posted in FML 0135]