Well, folks, this one may draw some flames, but I suppose it won't be the first time, lol. Number one... All households are different. Just because you could not adequately supervise/control/manange a toddler and a ferret in YOUR particular household environment does NOT mean that someone else can't either. "Household environment" is a composition of several factors that most people don't normally pay a lot of attention to defining. It includes layout of the house (blueprint) which determines how easily physical areas can be separated. Schedules, as in who works what hours, who's in school when, including after school tap & ballet & football practice, and nap times. Another factor is the personalties of ALL residents. If toddler is gently nipped, is Dad going to go ballistic, or simply respond with "that's enough play with fuzzy for now". Another factor is what I call the "commitment" factor. Once ferret-proofing (which INCLUDES methods of restricting toddlers from unsupervised access to ferrets!) is put in place, will it be CONCIENTIOUSLY MAINTAINED? Some people just CAN'T follow through with this. Some can. Environment also includes the traffic in a household, which is generally more of a problem with teenage children than it is with toddlers... traffic is friends coming and going, doors opening and shutting without regard to ferrets roaming. Number two... We're awfully quick to tell someone "no, you're wrong" without aksing for any further information. Most of the time we simply assume that all the necessary information was in the original statement. It NEVER IS. Most of the time the poster isn't aware that necessary information was ommitted. Don't assume. You generally end up wishing you'd said nothing. ASK for MORE, before you issue an 'ultimatum'. Number three... Yes, we operate a rescue and shelter. Yes, our adoption packet states that we do not NORMALLY adopt to households with children under age six. Well, I guess I've never actually run across a "normal" household. I honestly can't recall any applicant with children under six that was refused ONLY because of the toddler. Debi Christy Ferrets First Foster Home Practical & easy training, care, & maintenance articles available at http://www.geocities.com/ferretsfirst/ [Posted in FML issue 3754]