Firstly, I have to start off with the boring part. I have currently got eight ferrets (okay the numbers are low ;o) ) and all the ferrets are healthy, happy, and dooking merrily. All the ferrets (from six months to seven years of age) sleep well, poop well, play well and apparently, they're all behaving ;o) Just wait till I get home, that'll change!! hahahaha Next... My babies are being (rather well) cared for by my very awesome, and patient parents. They have kindly donated my room while I'm away to some friends of mine... (my room also happens to be the ferret room in winter, and it's winter in New Zealand right now) My friends child has the chicken pox, and I was asked... "Can ferrets get chicken pox?" My first reaction was "No... er... actually, I've never thought of it!!" So, although my gut reaction says that ferrets cannot get chicken pox, I haven't a clue. Anyone out there have any ideas?? Okay.. now. I'm still (as you may have guessed) out and about and annoying ferret people in the States. I have been offline for... oh, about fifty years ;o) (okay slight exaggeration) but I'm back!! For a few days anyway. While I was offline, I actually had one of those birthday things ;o) and went out to Kings Dominion in Virginia to celebrate... you know, go onto the roller coaster, see whether the heat or a coaster snapping off the lines gets to you first. The heat won out. Visited more ferrets (and people) at the New Jersey show (in Mercerville) and then went down to Virginia Beach, and had a party... er barbecue to attend there... so, met heaps of new friends, and ate heaps of great burgers thanks to Joe's great cooking on the grill ;o) (hey Joe, does that get me an invite back for a home-cooked meal? huh? huh??) The veterinary symposium was great!! Some I actually understood!! I was amazed ;o) They spoke vet speak, and I could translate... okay, not all of it, but I could guess ;o) I missed a few things but of those things I missed, I'm grateful that I didn't get to see the two-part hand (or should I say the parted hand) :0} hehehe Thanks to Jim Scott for putting me up (or putting up with me) at such short notice - aren't ferret people great?? Now, I'm in Pennsylvania, surrounded by ferrets (strange that) at Kymmies' place (ahh... Kymberlie Becker-Barone - you know, the Ferrets Across America lady ;o) ) I've been adding up the ferrets I've seen since I arrived, and my brain's been spinning over the past two weeks with the sudden influx!! I went from just over 200 to 359 in that time. Whew!! These people that own over 20 (30... 50) ferrets at once astound me. How on earth you can cope is beyond my understanding!! Okay, I know I've gotta be straining my word limit. BIG, I got to New York but couldn't contact you <sigh> I tried!! Maybe next visit. <g> (forewarning ;o) ) Sam [Posted in FML issue 2383]