> >From the Greater Chicago Ferret Association (GCFA). > Shelter Arrivals exceed 1400! Roger, you don't mean that you *currently* have 1400 ferrets, I hope!!! If you do, you should really get in touch with some of the shelters in MD, VA, PA, DE, etc... The shelters over here have been running on empty for close to a year. We can't get them in fast enough. > Special guest speaker Dr. Susan Erdman from M.I.T. will talk to us concerning > causes and ways to prevent lymphoma in ferrets. Can you (or someone) please take notes on this? Or, better yet, find out if she has some papers already written on it, and pass them on to us? > From: [log in to unmask] (Jill A. Kaszynski) > Subject: ferret harnesses The AFA is probably going to be very upset with me for this, but I really like FerretStuff's collars. (soft, supple suede - easy to add extra holes to) If their harnesses are made of the same stuff I would highly recommend them. I also do not like velcro harnesses, they tend to come undone, which has some scary possible consequences. (of course, many can wriggle out of buckle ones, too) On the other hand, many people swear by velcro, so just take that as a personal preference of my own. While I'm at it, I do *NOT* like the silly "ferret harnesses" that you find at pet stores that are basically just a cord with some hardware attached. (the ones on the cardboard ferret) They are too hard to adjust, not wide enough to distribute any force, you have to really pinch the ferret's ribs to get them fastened tight enough - you have to pull them up about 3/4 inch more shorter than the adjusted length to fasten them, they are too short, etc... I've tried several types. The ones that I currently prefer are cut-down nylon dog harnesses ("H" shaped). I prefer them over the "8" shaped ones. Just take the smallest dog harness you can get and make more holes with a heated wire and cut off the excess. The only thing to worry about when you buy it is that the ends with the buckle on them aren't too long to go around the middle of the ferret, as that side is difficult to shorten. (when you cut off the excess, use a heated knife or other straight edge - you have to melt it, if you just cut it it will unravel.) - Nancy Nancy Hartman CIS graduate student [log in to unmask] U. of Delaware President and founder, Delaware Valley Ferret Club Owner of Percy, Bree, & Popcorn, the ferrets [Posted in FML issue 0493]