I read the post in regards to ferrets and beaches and would like to respond with my opinion. I live on the beautiful Chesapeake Bay and I enjoy taking my ferrets on a leash to the beach to play. I do not recommend doing this during the summer in the heat of the day - we go either before 9 am or after 7 pm. I will usually take two with me and we go swimming in the ocean together and then come out of the water and dig in the sand! I recommend bringing towels, bottled water & a bowl, a ferret carrying sack, some food, a squeak toy that the ferrets answer to, and PLAY!! Be careful with dogs on the beach, because I have a problem with them being off a leash and not under control, and one of my ferrets last year almost caught a pigeon on the wing (YUCK!!! Sasha, how could you?!?!) I enjoy the outdoors and most of my ferrets do, too - they get very excited when I open the closet door that all the leashes are hanging on - the war-dancing of the chosen ferrets and the disappointment of the ones who were not. Anyway - I do not see any reason not to take them as long as you are prepared. Since I live on the beach, I don't use a carrier to get them there, but if you do, use the blue-ice stuff or a frozen water bottle in the carrier just to keep the ferrets comfy. Happy Ferreting! [Posted in FML issue 1637]