Boy - its almost 4:00 and I just got reading all the FML's after my vacation. Whew! I noticed people had been talking about ferrets in movies, how about books? I read a lot of science type fantasy - the sort that usually takes place in a medieval type time period and have noticed several references to ferrets. In one the castle was being besieged. The "ferretmeister" came to the castle owner/lord with a ferret that had a broken back and said the ferret had dragged himself back that way - the Lord immediately realized that the enemy was tunneling and the day was saved. Also while there have been no actual ferrets in any of Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time series he uses more than a normal number of ferret references, "ferreting out information" "as bad as having a ferret in your pants", etc. Lately it seems I've seen a lot of references about zoo's not taking very good care of ferrets. As I posted before that's the same in our local zoo. Someone posted a reference about give their zoo that burned down some rescue ferrets - I say think twice. I noticed Fran and a number shelters seem very full lately - I can't take any ferrets but would certainly be happy to transport ferrets from shelter to adopter or shelter to shelter if that would help. I could do this in an area centering on southern Michigan. So Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, western PA, southern Wisconsin would all be close enough for a weekend transfer trip. Also has anyone ever noticed whether age factors into the dominance thing? When I got Boris for Giesela things went pretty well (both under a year). Babysitting Cowboy never went well enough to let them play together but the last time Giesela was a lot less passive about it and when I picked up a friends ferret from the vet and brought it home for a few hours Giesela was attacking the cage and make a screeching noise that sounded like tearing metal! She seems to be turning into a territorial little @#*^$. I think getting another ferret now would be extremely difficult. Heartfelt sympathies to all the sick and recently departed ferrets and their grieving parents Mary, Boris and Giesela P.S. Dr. Williams - congratulations on LtCol!!!!!!! (Capt, MIANG) [Posted in FML issue 1666]