>People with less knowledge often wait to see if the people with >more knowledge intend to address an >issue before they'll step in. I wish that weren't so. NO matter how long a person has ferrets there is ALWAYS stuff to learn, and I have seen newbies notice some things that really, really matter but hadn't been said before. They noticed those things because they weren't locked into concepts, they observed carefully (the first rule of dealing with any critter), and they put together a pattern that just hadn't been recognized before. Personally, I'd like to see more of the people here talking to us all. Rog, fine work in finding out that a health problem may exist; pain also can cause litter pot accidents as well as less socializing or less desirable forms of interaction. Many reason exist from reduced ability to the pain itself interfering, to trying to signal the human that medical attention is needed. >I'm afraid I'm as guilty as anyone. I often just do a quick scan for >posts that sound urgent and don't really read the whole thing. Same here. I just lack time in a very big way! I don't think that many people realize but those of us who do things like run lists or shelters often get HOURS of questions privately every single day on top of the work for the lists or shelters. Meanwhile, we still have full lives beyond those with family, personal ferrets, friends, neighbors, jobs, businesses, etc. There are only so many hours to go around for any of the most active folks here. I can't think of ONE very verbal person here who has not agreed with me when the topic has arisen about wanting to see more members -- from a wider range of folks -- send in more messages in constructive fashions. I think that people too often miss how much they and their observations, and constructive suggestions/comments are desired. >I am so angry right now after reading that someone would have the nerve to >even think of entering their ferrets into a show (never mind selling their >products that have probably been exposed to this virus if it can be). I >am sorry but this person should be investigated or should have been >checked out sooner to see if this was true and should NOT be allowed in >just for the safety of other ferrets and fun of the show! Rumors typically are not be be trusted, because even when they have some basis they are often only partly true. The paragraphs below are what I sifted from multiple sources and may or may not have bearing or validity, though the sources are ones I trust due to long knowledge of their common sense so I suspect that the things gleaned may have a bit more validity. Still: verify, verify, verify before believing this or anything else... The situation appears to be ONE instance without further ferrets (outside two locations) ill as far as I have so far heard, and there appears to be at least -- and possibly far more -- as much chance that the infection occurred INSTEAD due to a later exposure to a non-show rescue ferret from a non-ferret facility which lacked vaccination. The show in question appears to have been long enough ago that if there had been an infection from that it would have already expressed itself. Also, it appears that the person in question was unaware of any possible exposure that her/his own ferrets had suffered, or that an exposure happened after the show, so don't go screaming at or about that person, please! It looks like anything beyond that is likely supposition on the parts of some very vocal third parties. Since even the BASICS have not been discussed by those who are closest to the situation, take EVERYTHING (including what I wrote) with a boulder of salt and do not panic. Instead do the logical thing: vaccinate (perhaps preferably with Purevax because besides being safer in terms of reduced reaction numbers it might have better effectiveness numbers than the alternatives, and since it has been around only a short while the virus has had less exposure to it -- no I don't own stock in Merial but wish I did ;-) .) [Posted in FML issue 3794]