Hi All, Since I posted my last emails on newbie buying a ferret with a four year old I feel for various responses I'd like to clarify some things to the group. I have been researching ferrets for sometime now. The ferret(s) were not for my son to play with. I was planning on buying the ferrets for me. My son has a water frog, dog and a hamster. Ofcourse I want to know if all ferrets bite as I think that is a very valid question. I wasn't planning on letting my son rough handle them at all, hold a ferret in his arms gently very briefly yes, and absolutely only if the ferret was not a biter. I see nothing wrong with my son holding a ferret responsible in his arms under my supervision briefly (just as I would let him hold a baby briefly if I had one) but ofcourse if all ferrets "absolutely bite" when just being held gently then I was not aware of that and thus my son would not hold him every before I determine otherwise. Now ofcourse the issue wuth owning a dog, precautions would be taken there as well...and hamster... Certainly some people on this list have a dog, child, etc... I certainly don't underestimate what 4 year olds are capable of doing to animals if allowed to by irresposible parents who let them. I did not know that all ferrets will always bite as i was recently informed. From what I read I thought they could be trained not to bite. I guess the information I read was wrong. Also an issue of how can I realisticly think I can have time to play with ferrets and give them my time/attention/play with & allow them the freedom they need outsde a cage with a 4 year old in the house....this is how... First of all, my husband and I both work at home with very flexible hours, night owls. Plus we call our house the "house that never sleeps"..ask my mom, she once lived in our basement apartment. So that the ferrets would certainly have play time, actually whenever they want. I plan to set up a ferret room, for now in my computer room and I spend most of my time in there so I can't see me not playing with them when they wake up. My son knows this is mommies room. I thought many people work in the day outside the home and when they come home they let their ferrets out to play, surely that's ok. We have doors on every room in our house so where we want to limit the ferrets play and not limit should be fine...we have alot of space. This I really need to make clear, I was not planning on getting a ferret for my son, yes ofcourse for my benefit but it's for the ferrets benefit too, not just for me to get something out of it. I plan to give them everything and more! I didn't go about this decison lightly, that's why I contiously ask questions. We had 2 cats for 13 & 14 years until they passed on, our pets are always family to us. I want to know if my son can hold a ferret gently under my supervision, a simple not unreasonable question. like I said he won't handle a ferret if he bites. I never ever said I planned to let my son rough handle a ferret. Also I was not shocked that the ferret bit me & broke skin in my last post, nothing surpirses me when you walk into a room with a ferret you don't know! But then again the lady did tell me he does not bite! I can certainly understand reasons ferrets aren't pets for young children but like I said that is not my intent. As for having 3 ferrets is better than 2 I would think so, more the merrier I'd say, Ofcourse I think 1-2 first is a good start, then we will talk about 3 later. I plan to get a cage 3x5 feet plus free reign of one room, plus access to areas of the house supervised...isn't that good enough? If not then I guess I won't get a ferret. Sadly we have no ferret shelters here and I sadden to think where they end up. We would be blessed to have each other I'd think. Broomie [Posted in FML issue 3753]