Have been lurking here for quite a while. I presently live in SW Kansas, am a programmer by profession, and have been owned by a fert for about 2 1/2 years. I've responded individually to a number of inquiries, and thought perhaps I might (should :>) add to this group discussion. First, in response to someone who asked about checks personalized with the likeness of a fert: my previous employer is a forms manufacturer specializing in material for the financial industry, including *custom* checks. Presently they do not have color capability, but if you have line art or photograph(s), they can composite, they will place that image on personalized chacks for you, they do several hundred thousand each year. They can be reached for information at: Kansas Bank Note Co. PO Box 360 Fredonia Ks 66736 Secondly in regard to shampoo...(and perhaps I do not understand something) when I first became a companion to to a ferret, about 30 months ago, I purchased a bottle of PPP Ferret Shampoo. This stuff not only smells pretty good, like coconut oil, but it kills fleas on contact. My primary experience with this came as the result of my sheltering 3 MF ferrets that had been sorely abused, not deliberately, but as the result of a death, and the ability of this gentlemans elderly wife to adequately care for them. They were recovered by the Independence Ks Police Department, and I became temporary custodian, as the chief dispatcher, a good friend of mine, knows how I feel about fuzzballs. When I got them, they had, for about 30 days, been kept in a porta-kennel, both food and water were inadequate, they were covered with feces and urine, were drastically malnourished and literally covered with fleas and eggs. Anyway, bathing with the PPP killed the fleas on contact. I did spend the next 8 hours with tweezers and comb picking egg sacs off of these poor little critters. The good news is, that all three have very good homes now, two have teenage children to play with, "Sweetie" has the run of her new house, and "Gwenevere" has her own room, I was going to keep the youngest for myself but he and my Buster didn't get along well, so off she went to her new home. I had custody for less than a week. Hoping that other adoptees, find loving homes in as timely a manner. Condolances to all that have lost or have ailing fuzzies. Think of The Rainbow Bridge. Seems to make me feel better when I remember pets that I have lost. Sorry about so long a post, but felt I needed to share. Buster: Rug Rocket Extrodinaire.. raisin H*** gimme a toe! Chomp! & Gary: *OUCH* Dammit! [log in to unmask] Gary B.Evans SYOTR In anything at all, perfection is finally attained, not when there is nothing more to add, but when there is nothing more to take away. St Exupery [Posted in FML issue 1587]