Barb Thomas, if Seymour liked a grown cat, I would think that a kitten would be great company for him. I also sympathize with you about the 3rd degree you got from the breeder/shelter. They are well intended, but they too often look for reasons to exclude rather than include. For all their bad aspects, at least pet shops are equal opportunity types. My greatest fear is that we would all be at the mercy of a single person who would decide if we are capable of owning a ferret (with no appeal process). Fortunately, in our legal system the burden of proof is on those who think we are bad. Dr. Karen Purcell, welcome to the List!! From your statement about the Bill passing, I take it you live in MA. Was that you who gave the great wrap up statement at the Bill hearing in March? Our vet is opening a new office in Wayland soon and has some interesting plans to have a ferret track in the waiting room (instead of an aquarium, for example) to display their antics to amuse clients. She hopes to get some once they are legal and will bring them to the office to keep them near while she works. We need all the ferret oriented vets we can get in the Commonwealth! PS- use the gas! Dennis's comments (the pilot) about the (lack of) FAA threat to ferrets are absolutely correct. I'm very familiar with FAA security and the inspectors are only interested in Federal regs. Even then, the emphasis is more on safety. They are also understaffed and unlikely to bother private planes without good cause. If you fly VFR, you are all but out of the ATC system anyway. As long as you don't fly a drug runner profile, you won't raise a hackle. Then, you'd be checked by a different agency that is equally single minded. The skies are still free. To David, the hand attack and retreat pattern you mentioned is not because of fear, it is a type of play. The response they would like is for your hand to chase and attack them back. This type of "tag" fighting where the role of who is the chaser switches is very common. They also like to chase things that you drag or toss. A resulting tug-of-war is another good bonding activity. Sounds like Helen and Ceridwen have bonded to you pretty well already. They want you to come out of your shell now. They aren't that delicate, no matter how sweet a front they show. ( )--(a) (@=@=) \ Till next time.......Rudy the ferlosopher O__) \ \___ \ \ /\ * ) \ [Posted in FML issue 1313]