Hello All, Well, I got a rather disturbing email from someone on this list who seems to have completely misunderstood my intent yesterday. So I want to make a couple of additional comments. >I would ask you to please chill when slamming those of us who help ferrets >but have no formal education relating to ferrets. The main reason for this >is there is no place to get a formal education on ferrets. Well, if slamming means questioning the source of the information, then so be it. And questioning an individual poster seems to be stretched into slamming all lay ferret care givers. Now why in the hell would I do that when I am one? I never ever take anything information like this (Bob Church's post) at face value and I don't feel anyone else should either. Just as everyone should question all information on this forum. I did question Bob's FORMAL training only because he seems intent on putting himself forth as a trained animal specialist of some kind. And after what I have seen of his listed work on the school web page, I just have to wonder about it. That is my problem with his posts, and always has been. Bob has a tendency to come off as an expert, i.e. like a vet, and I think everyone should be fully aware of the training, of whatever kind, they are taking advice from. And I agree with what was privately said to me that even vets can be wrong. Which is why I am even more cautious with "untrained" lay people. But my main problem, as I responded to privately, is that I felt Bob Church gave some inaccurate and possibly dangerous advice. The writer of the private email seemed to question my credentials after trotting out his own experience. Well, that is fair. I have owned animals since the age 5. I started sitting in on vet procedures during high school and considered becoming a vet. I decided that I could not do it, because I didn't feel I could handle it emotionally. I have owned dogs, cats, ferrets, exotic fish, reptiles and horses. For every animal I have owned, I have gone to great lengths to educate myself, and also to be closely involved with vet care, including operations. I have read many many vet texts on various subjects. I have found research for vets to help out my own animals. My vet in Houston, who went to specialization for exotics after her regular vet training, strongly encouraged me to go to vet school. If I sound smug, I don't mean to. But I do work with animals extremely well. Well enough that my current vet doesn't even bother the techs when I come in, I am better at it than they are, when it comes to ferts. I started a ferret club in Houston that works with 5 shelters and a lot of local vets. One of the vets trains other vets in ferret care in courses. He taught us a lot by giving us slide classes that he gave vets. I own 29 of the little monsters right now. 5 cats. I have owned ferrets since 1995 and been on this list since 1996, albeit it was under my married name Margaret Zick. I am not an expert, nor do I wish anyone to take me as one. My ego is not so large that I call myself any kind of eternal entity. I will gladly say and have, when I make mistakes. Bob Church has some great information. But I also know, first hand, that his info is often considered behind the times at best, from some rather important "names." That is, from well respected ferret vets, breeders, shelters, etc. Which can be just fine for more inexperienced owners. He helps a lot of folks. But just say my 1970's hippie upbringing keeps cautioning me to say "don't trust anyone." And basically, I learned to operate that way owning horses. You want to see all kinds of theories all over the place, read up on horse care. I had a wonderful horse trainer tell me once not to listen to anything until you heard it from at least three completely different, independent sources. I have often repeated that on this list. I just want everyone to be extremely careful when taking advice on care FROM ANYONE AT ALL. And that goes for questioning your vet as well. Mo Maggie and the Mob of Tie Dye Ferts "Hey man, look at all the colors" [Posted in FML issue 3028]