There are a few risks we don't have here in the UK. We do not have heart worm and I don't even know what giardia is. We do have fleas and ticks but they are easily avoided with prophylactic treatments and even mange is treatable. As for the incidental infections etc I think there is risk in all things, I have heard of terrible accidents befalling ferrets who live indoors, you rarely hear of an outdoor ferret falling of the top of a cage or getting trapped in a piece of furniture. There are risks what ever we do we can only minimise them and deal with them sensibly. Avoiding them altogether is an over reaction IMO. Nt a criticism each to their own. [Posted in FML 6201]