Sharon! I never saw your post, or I would have written. Listen ... I have TWO pages of suggestions for people wtih allergies or for those who are incredibly picky about odor in my website. Visit my site, scroll down to the index, and go to the link for allergies. You also should check out the smell page. They aren't as complete as I'd like them, but they are very good I think. I have very bad allergies as well as severe asthma. So I"ve learned a lot. The biggest thing for you to know is that in my experience most people just do not do enough to control the allergy situation who step forward with advice. This is why I'm writing you. I've had to give up pets in the past due to allergies. So I know how much it hurts when you are forced to do so. Ferrets seem to be the easiest mammal to live with for allergies (besides a bichon frise dog that is ... but even I have trouble with them). But you have to really take care of your environment as well as the animal to be able to attempt to live with them. Listen, if there is one thing I've learned is that you must, must, must be consistent and complete in the ways you approach allergen control. Just doing one thing regularly or a couple of them just won't cut it for people with allergies. Also, you must execute preventative things as much as you possibly can. I read all the time about how people suggest doing ferret laundry weekly or biweekly. Guess what? If you truly have severe (not mild to moderate) allergies or if you have more than two ferrets that just will NOT cut it. I myself must change it out every other day. I keep the old laundry in a plastic garbage bag in the enclose laundry room. That way, I only have to run ferret laundry once to twice a week in my washer (so I don't kill the appliances or go broke). Ya know? So please go to my website and find those pages for detailed suggestions to try. I don't know if I wrote this on the sites, but you must do a total sterilization of the ferret room/area, and then a total cleaning of the home (steam clean if possible) before you settle into a manageable but effective schedule to prevent allergies. If there is already a lot of animal dander, pee, and dust in your home, it won't do a bit of good to begin some of peoples suggestions. It's super hard to do an excellent cleaning of the home (I mean even run clean, damp mops over your walls for dust and dander). But it's worth doing okay? I dont know if I mention it on the sites, but allergies can act like a line of standing dominoes. You tip one, then the others that were standing okay fall. Things that don't ordinarily set you off, do once your nose gets going. So pay attention to air conditioning filters, plants (don't have too many, change out the soil as it holds mold spores), keep windows shut (to cut down on pollen and mold spores), stay away from other fur and feather creatures, don't use potpouri and other smelly things in your home (seems like only the gel air freshners do well, a few candles, or fabreeze), and most of all stay away from cig smoke at all times (even in restaurants). Good luck. It's worth the try in order to keep the ferrets. Remember to ask for help if possible to vaccuum or to change out liter pans. Wolfy http://wolfysluv.jacksnet.com [Posted in FML issue 4698]