Greetings to the FML Family! I am a new subscriber (actually returning, years ago I was here). This message is first an introduction of myself, my "kids," and my shelter. For those of you who just skim, I'll also post a response to JASPER's ownee and the person looking for a good odor killer. My name is Kymberlie Becker. I am the founder/director of the Pennsylvania Ferret Rescue Association, currently located in State College PA but soon branching out to a new, second location in southeastern PA (the Boyertown area). I am owned and controlled by seven ferrets (Shadow, Koto, Ricky, Sassy, Patches, Here Comes Trouble, and the newest, Slinky) and six cats (I won't name them here since this isn't the Cat Mailing List!) I'm sooo proud to say that my Slinky is the one who won Best Alter in Show at Ferret Expo '97!! Talk about being proud! I have a note to anyone who believes that Rescue and Shelter animals are somehow "less perfect" than those you purchase as a baby. Slinky is a 4.5 year old Rescue ferret who has been passed from home to home all of his life. When he came in, I took him to the vet right away (as I do with all Rescues). My vet commented that he should have been named Stinky, not Slinky, due to the condition he was in! He began to blossom shortly after he came to my Rescue last summer. He has the most soft & beautiful coat of any I have ever seen, and apparently the judges at Expo saw the same things that I saw. It's not where a ferret comes from that makes him who he is; it's how he's treated and loved that makes all of the difference. Here's my pitch for my shelter; we rescue and adopt out ferrets, we do grooming, boarding (short/long term), we give public appearances to educate, we will take e-mail or phone questions from anyone, and we put out a newsletter. When we branch out to our second location, we will also start a ferret club, so if you live near either location please e-mail me with your interest in a club. Sometime in the next week or so, we will also have our web site up and ready for your perusal, I'll let you all know the address when it's up. If you are interested in our newsletter, it's called the Pennsylvania Ferreter, it's 12 pages of news (including California updates...just because we're from PA doesn't mean we don't care about the plight of CA ferrets!), stories, health info, pictures, helpful hints, a Ferret of the Month feature, the beloved Ask Shadow advice column, show listings, etc... A one year subscription (six issues) is $20.00. If you're interested (or want a freebie to decide) e-mail me at <[log in to unmask]>. This is not just for Pennsylvanians, it's for anyone who loves ferrets and wants some good info. Now...about JASPER... my 5-year old, Shadow, is deaf. He is still a very vocal little dude, though! We have this little trick going where at bedtime, I stomp my foot on the floor to arouse him from sleep under my cabinet (he's got a little *safe* cave down there). The stomping works cuz he can feel it. He comes out, runs to the basement door (the shelter is set up downstairs), doing the weasel war dance. I open the door, and he BOLTS down the steps at top speed, dooking and clucking the whole way down! It's a trip! He hits the floor, does more of a dance, then runs into the "ferret room", into his cage, up the ramp (dooking all the way), to the top level where he waits for his daily prize of five raisins. That's his reward for going to bed without hassle. So, yes, at least *my* deaf ferret is quite vocal! Finally, about killing odors: I use a terrific product called Odor Digester. I get it from State College Paper, a distributor here in State College. At the moment I don't know the manufacturer, but I'll get it, plus maybe I can find other places to buy it. It's for use anywhere, including in kennels. I spray it in ferret cages, on the carpet, in my garbage cans and garbage disposal, anywhere there's the threat of odor. It's not a cover up, it's bacteria-eating enzymes that literally destroy odor. It even smells good. Completely safe for use around animals! E-mail me for more info, but I'll try to post again when I get more details on where you can get it. That's all for now...I promise future messages won't be so long! Kymberlie Becker P.S. Hi Mary McCarty...I'm here!!! [Posted in FML issue 1884]