Re closet doors: I have great success with wide rubber band on wall (make sure stays on wall) which I can hook over a screw on the door to hold the door closed. Re carpet: chicken wire works well, too. Re incubation, shedding: my understanding is that the real scientific issue is not incubation time but shedding period of rabies in ferrets, which I understand is the period in days in which the ferret is able to shed rabies (typ. through saliva infused through deep puncture wounds; studies I've seen find minimal risk here for several reasons -- lack of furious rabies (though that may actually prejudice against ferrets, interestingly), lack of evidence of rabies in saliva, and general resistance to rabies). The following is somewhat long at about 76 lines, but perhaps you'll find it interesting . . . I found out the ferret bite decision policy in 5 states. All of this data is from very recent verbal phone discussions with state epidemiology/state public health vet offices. []'s are my comment, and I think I noted everything correctly, but no guarantee: (Notice that all take into account circumstances of the case (as the Compendium suggests), even the states I researched in higher rabies incidence areas. I want to ask Suzanne Albert in MD whether *any* circumstances are relevant, and would *any* circumstances have saved the MD ferret.) CO (John Poppy, any danger is almost exclusively bats, printed policy avail.): If vaccinated, quarantine for 30 days (though *very slight* chance of kill & test if victim presses and has a reasonable case for danger). If not vaccinated, consider circumstances of the bite (whether reasonably certain indoor pet for 6 mos, history of pet, whether pet owned, where purchased, bitee's comfort with no kill & test), and then kill & test if factors warrant, or else quarantine for 30 days. TX (Bradley Hicks, bat, plus lots of coyote, fox, raccoon, skunk): Depends on part of state and epidemiology thereof. Delegate to local authority there. Ferrets in "gray area". Look at situation, assess risk (reasonably certain indoors? vaccinated?). If not reasonable certainty (e.g. stray or outdoor, other factors), then quite possibly kill & test. The vacc. "not as solid" w/ferrets, still may kill & test if significant risk. Adequate ferret shedding research could change Compendium. VA (Dr. Jenkins, bat, raccoon, skunk): Case-by-case basis. Assured no exposure? Other factors, take everything into account. Wouldn't push for kill & test if family member case and they don't want kill and are advised of nature of risk based on circumstances. Bad experiences make us a little less likely to trust word no escape, etc (again, trust here is case by case) -- example case includes female *rabid* DC ferret assured no escape but discovered owner took to breeder where male (presumed rabid and responsible for trans.) disappeared after mating. Horses and cattle good history of rare transmission, not deep puncture wounds [?], consider vicinity (poten. for trans.) in cattle cases. 3 rabid ferrets in VA. NASPHV cheering on CDC & Kansas study. If studies (e.g. european) existing done on limited # of animals only, would have bearing. Also important to consider strain of rabies, european fox strain? [This last point came up also with Dr. Sorhage (NJ) who explained even more, below, re should test using strains from skunks and raccoons for greatest relevance to our cases; apparently as opposed to voles and rodents; I'm not sure from talking to them not sure if American strains vs. European is an issue or not as compared to what species tested]. NJ (Dr.Sorhage, various hosts, esp. raccoons) Depends on situation. Wounds on it? If vacc. several years in a row? Indoor? Bitee agreeable? These are difficult cases for us. We get questions 20-30 times a year [was that just for ferrets?] We have no legal power, just give eval [several said this, but could go to court, apparently, VA said not require go to court ??]. Ferrets close to skunk, expect ferrets to be asymptomatic shedder [? hmm.] [Also mentioned rabid DC ferret meets horny rabid male at breeder case.] Strongly suggest you keep your ferret away from others for its sake, esp. faced with human mother and child encounter. Totally different strain (fox) in Europe. Wants ferret organizations to support study CDC and Kansas. Send in 2 bucks each, enthusiasts [casual exhotation. not official]. Won't go on eupopean hosts and strains ("no way, Hose") -- use skunk strains (and raccoon and bat). Brain test is most reliable we have. OR (Paul Seslak, rabies in OR very rare, recent fluke w/fox one corner of OR, printed (general) policy avail.): No real big risk due to state epid. Worry mostly about bats (perhaps 3 percent rabid [?]). No ferrets positive (going at least back to 1960). In same period, 3 dogs positive, one from Mexico. Assess risk, if dog going nuts aggressive, check, perhaps higher risk. Ferret bites, still assess risk, but very low. Indoors or not, vacc or not, concern of bitee relevant. If bitee adamant, might approve kill & test after discussion of reasonableness. Might have bitee pay for study though given incidence of rabies in OR. Among other things that won't be tested (see policy), rodents or rabbits inflicting provoked bites (in OR [?], 3000 tested in 27 years, no positives). Ferret questions not real regular [as opposed to other states], maybe 1/year? Todd Cromwell Dors and Seldon [Posted in FML issue 1086]