I believe an important aspects of adding a ferret to a family is to consider that this should be a forever home. Ferrets bond very closely to their caretakers and other companions and a separation from them could be devastating. Ferrets from bad situations - kept in filthy cages, not fed regularly, not let out of cages, may suffer depression when removed from these horrible situations. Sadly, many unwanted ferrets end up with people that shouldn't have them because they don't put forth the effort to keep cages clean, don't make time to let the little ones out of cages, don't spend money on proper and needed vet care, nutrition, etc. Some of these people collect ferrets from their area and surrounding states. They sound knowledgeable and caring but a visit to their home tells a sad and often deadly story. Some of these people start out with good intentions then something snaps and it is the ferrets that suffer, caged for days, weeks, months with inadequate care, filthy cages and bedding, never getting out to exercise or play or for love. There are far too many cases like this and I hear too often (and have been guilty myself) people saying these people have good hearts - well they don't because if they did they wouldn't sentence the ferrets to such a painful and shallow existance. If you ever need to find a home for a ferret, if you care even a tiny bit about what happens to them, please be sure to visit the new home you've chosen and keep tabs on what goes on. Please don't let someone you don't know and haven't visited inside their home take your little one away to barely exist in a filthy cage for the rest of their short life. Don't take someone elses word that it's a good home unless they've been there and seen with their own eyes. Don't think because someone is associated with someone who is good, that they are good as well. THINK how you will feel if you find out you allowed this horrible existance for your little one - the pain, the suffering, the torture... their silent cries, wasting away.... only to suffer and die a lonely and painful death. I have nightmares about those little ones that suffer in these horrible situations. Please don't let it happen to yours.... hugs. tle Troy Lynn Eckart, F.B.S. Ferret Family Services http://www.ferretfamilyservices.org http://www-personal.ksu.edu/~sprite/ffs.html http://www.geocities.com/Petsburgh/Haven/5481/ Please sign up to support our efforts http://www.iGive.com/FFS [Posted in FML issue 4532]