>From: CHUCK PULLIAM <[log in to unmask]> >In regards to E. Lipinski's post entitled "abusive ferret control", where >he suggests squirting water IN THE EAR of the "abusive ferret", GET REAL ! Dear Chuck, Thank you for you obvious concern for the ferret and his ears. If you care to reread my post, I specifically wrote that a 2 to 3 foot distance should exist between the sprayer and the sprayee. Squirting a stream of water at a moving, wresling ferret shaking its head with its victim in its jaws is hardly the same as, as you say, above: ""squirting water IN THE EAR" or "force a stream of water into the ear." You'd be damn lucky to get any water in its ear from that distance and under the circumstances I've described. And, if you did, it's not exactly a river, and since the inertial force of the water stream is just about expended at the point of contact, can it amount to more than a drizzle? If you have ever had your ferrets dive in a pool of water for raisins, you may recall that they immerse their heads totally - way over their ears - with both their eyes and mouth wide open, as they grasp the submerged raisin in their teeth. Water in a ferret's ears, when done purposefully by the ferret, as in diving, seems to cause them very little,if any, discomfort. However, when administered suddenly and without warning, whether in his ears or not, must be shockingly abrupt to the ferret's sensibilities. That is precisely the effect we're after to dissuade abhorent behavior. It works ! Hey, it's meant to be abusive. As an added note, the waxy accretions in most ferret's ear canals and the convuluted creases, and the downward pathway, all these factors do not favor the acceptance nor the retention of water. If you would please explain how the use of tap water used as I've suggested produces ear infections and can rupture the tympanic membrane. Again, thank you for your concern. Edward Frettchenvergnuegen Lipinski, Der Frettchenlustbarkeitsfuerher ! [Posted in FML issue 2109]