>The question is this: What exactly is it about ferrets that grab hold >of your heart and never let go?? [...] Why do you spend so much time >laughing at them and grieving for them and worrying about them? I have, or have had, most every kind of common pet. My current residents include dogs, cat, ferrets, birds (finches, 'tiels, small parrots, mini macaw), monitors, snake, lizards, turtles, fish, frogs, rodents, rabbits, sheep, etc. I definitely see the ferrets differently, and I think there are several reasons why. For me personally, I recognize the uniqueness of ferrets in that I can be absolutely certain they have a good quality of life in captivity. With birds and rodents and reptiles, you are forever trying to mimic what would be an ideal environment for them, and usually don't come close. I don't try to make my ferrets' life similar to what it would be if they were wild, except for providing enrichment, because they _enjoy_ the way humans live. They are quite content with A/C and heating, deionized water, hollowed couches in place of dirt dens, hammocks to curl up in, water dishes instead of streams, and little toys with bells in them. They always look happy, and every time they wake up, they make it clear that life is great and they like where they live. Most pets (hamsters, reptiles, birds) dislike living in a cage, and it's rare for them to reach any level of contentment with their substitute environment. An entomology professor of mine once lectured how our perspective of a species was directly related to it's likeness to us. I suppose that could apply to ferrets, too. First, they have more of the physical traits that appeal to our baby-instincts (such as disporportionately large heads and large black eyes), but they also have a very familiar and tolerable personality. When a bird finds a new object, it will determine if its food, and otherwise shred it (presumably to test beak strength? lol), which makes people see them as less intelligent and as having less thought and personality. If a ferret finds something new, it will promptly stash it, because you just never know when it might come in handy. That's cute, and even if it's an entirely instinct-based food storage behavior, it sure _looks_ like they're thinking the way we do. Kara (and 20--omg, did I say 20?!--ferrets) [Posted in FML issue 3897]