Like many others there are some posters I usually do not read (including today), but whether you read everyone or not DO be careful to not fall prey to the pointless and misplaced guilt that can be caused by on-list bullying. If you are making good choices in everyday things like the ferrets' amount of exercise, accident prevention and ferret proofing, quality food of any type or your own choosing, regular veterinary care, etc. and your ferret-knowledgeable veterinarian agrees that you are making good choices plus your ferrets have historically thrived and lived long and happy lives then DO NOT FEEL INTIMIDATED OR GUILTY if some other person insists that you instead need to be doing things her or his way only and tries to instill guilt in you, or purposely misquotes or twists people's words (including twisting mine... LOL!). You will know if you fit the description above for falling prey despite doing things well, but if you do then you are worth much better camaraderie than being treated that way and you are making better choices than such online bullying would imply. Remember, all that someone who is bullying at a distance is for you is just words on a screen so let the people who are not peripheral like your ferret knowledgeable veterinarian who knows your ferrets be the main ones to help you with choices and look at your own track record for ferret happiness, longevity and health. Do not embrace misplaced guilt. Do not take it to heart. This does not happen only at a distance. Even locally to you physically there are a great many people who really are only peripheral to your life. Ultimately they mean so much less in your life than the ones who matter like your chosen experts with relevant degrees, your trusted family members, your friends, your loved ones, people who are proven good examples in whichever way and therefore are inspirations, and others who have earned your trust. Relegate the ones who should not be allowed to influence you to your mental Peripheral Pile! If the ones who actually do know you and your ferrets say that you are making good choices and your results also show that then be kind to yourself. Should you be feeling bullied -- as several people here said they had previously felt felt in their thank you notes to me after my last post on this topic -- then when feeling that way just say to yourself, "That person is only peripheral to my life." and continue doing what you know works perfectly well. Eventually, when you get notes from that person you will only need to say "peripheral" to know whom you personally choose to ignore. Let that, too, be your own choice, in whichever way you personally decide to make it because we are all different and our choices will vary greatly. Just know that you can and should treat yourself with that degree of respect when you have done your homework and checked with actual experts like your ferret knowledgeable veterinarian -- because you are worth respecting your own careful and confirmed choices and ignoring others who try to instill misplaced guilt into you. Sukie (not a vet) Ferrets make the world a game. Recommended ferret health links: http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/ferrethealth/ http://ferrethealth.org/archive/ http://www.miamiferret.org/ http://www.ferrethealth.msu.edu/ all ferret topics: http://listserv.ferretmailinglist.org/archives/ferret-search.html "All hail the procrastinators for they shall rule the world tomorrow." (2010, Steve Crandall) A nation is as free as the least within it. [Posted in FML 7812]