I have an interesting tidbit. I was in the bookstore the other day, and came accross a book called "Jack Hanna's Ultimate Guide to Pets" authored by Jack Hanna _with Hester Mundis_. Published by G.P. Putnam's Sons, copyright 1996, ISBN 0-399-14193-6. Hardcover. I too had a very low opinion of some of the things Mr. Hanna spouts about ALL. animals, not just ferrets. Hester Mundis must be an incredible fellow. The reason I forked out the $33.95 + taxes (in Cdn, $24.95 US$), was that reading the section on ferrets I was thrilled with the completeness of the information! It was superb compared to many other references I have seen. It covers common diseases *including* ECE, where ferrets are legal (do you need a permit?), and how to find out (and it was current excluding Mass. - we can't expect print material to be up to the second). It also lists compatible and incompatible pets, pet behavior, health and vaccinations, much more good stuff, and a cute informational section at the end called "JACK'S FACTS: FERRET RELATIVES ON THE BRINK". I purchased the book to use as an informational/educational tool for folks here in Calgary. Clearly, Mr. Hanna can't be the sloth that we are all led to believe, or th is stuff would never have gone out with his name on it. I commend the person who did all the research on it's contents, as it appears to be thorough, (though I haven't read it cover to cover yet) without getting too technical for the average pet owner. Monica Calgary Ferret Club ********************************* [log in to unmask] ====================== "In a universe of ambiguity, this kind of certainty comes only once and never again, no matter how many lifetimes you live." Robert Kincaid/Robert James Waller _The Bridges of Madison County_ ====================== [PS] I forgot to mention the negative thing that I didn't appreciate in the book - the chapter is titled "Rabbits, Ferrets, Potbellied Pigs and Other Outdoor Types" It assumes that everyone lives in a moderate climate, not too hot, not too cold. Definately erroneous for the southern states or norther states and Canada. It does have a section called "Cautions to Kkeep in Mind" that mentions that "ferrets are susceptible to heat exhaustion and storke, ... keep cage out of direct sunlight", and "Don't keep ...temperature of ...room above 80F". Not well worded. Yet there are other considerations that are very good. There are also some good mentions about ferret nutrition. As with everything we read, we must take it with a grain of salt. Monica [Posted in FML issue 2018]