To Ben Rodman: Some time ago I began compiling a ferret FAQ, only to discover after a week or two that (at least) two other people were already involved in putting together files on ferret diseases, behavior, and such. My work on the FAQ has pretty much halted until I'm sure I won't just be repeating what someone else's already done, but I have accumulated a lot of information in the "general advice" category (as opposed to detailed descriptions of psychology, breeding habits, etc.) -- whether a ferret is for you, how to train your pet, and the like. I'll edit that into some sort of presentable form and email it directly to you. Feel free to contact me if you have any other questions, and I'll do my best to answer them from my own (admittedly limited) experience or from the hundreds of kilobytes of responses I got to my questions. To anon new ferret owner: Obviously I can't send you the same file, so I'll touch on a few of your questions here. You're welcome to email me and I'll send it to you, along with whatever other help I can give. Stopping ferrets from biting other pets: I've never done it, but I'd imagine you do this the same way you introduce two ferrets to each other. You could also try spraying the one who's getting bitten with Bitter Apple. Rabies: There is an FDA approved ferret rabies vaccine. Debates on its effectiveness are a bit beyond my expertise, except to mention that there is, indeed, some debate. Using your bed as a litter pan: In litter-training two kits, I never once saw either of them use anything soft or bed-like as a pan. Of course, every ferret is different, and in any case you stand a decent chance of having the floor next to your bed dirtied, but if you put a pan nearby I'd be surprised if you had problems. Calming effects of age: The amazingly rambunctious 9-week-old kit we got a few months ago has matured into a slightly rambunctious 6-month-old, and we've been told this trend will continue a bit, though ferrets do stay playful all their lives. On the other hand, the astonishingly calm 7-week-old became just a bit rowdier by about 12 weeks (now), so go figure. Collars: We leave ours on all the time, except when we're giving the critters a bath. It's not worth removing them for cage time -- which for us is every night. We just leave 'em comfortably loose and they don't seem to mind. Sleeping: Every ferret I've seen has been a very deep sleeper. You can take advantage of this by trying to clip their nails while they sleep, or by trying to convince gullible children that the ferrets are dead. :-) Fruits: Our ferrets both like pears and apples, among other fruits and veggies. As I understand it, fruits aren't thought to be necessary for proper nutrition, but there's nothing wrong with occasional bits. Just be sure you don't fill them up on fruits, since they need to eat enough of their regular food to get their protein. FFZ treatment of "found" ferrets: This depends on which FFZ you're in. I understand that California, at least, gives the owners some short period of time to find the pets an out-of-state new home. Well, I hope all of this has been helpful (and not too incorrect :). Feel free to email me if you have more questions. - Pam ([log in to unmask]) companion to Pixxel the sable troublemaker, Rusty the cinnamon snuggleferret, and Bob the redheaded husband P. S. Thanks to all who responded with advice about fleas. Three weeks after we brought 'em home we haven't seen another one, so it seems we were lucky! [Posted in FML issue 0647]