[Moderator's note: Note the date of this post: it's a response to a thread that was active over a month ago. I had rejected this post on August 10th. Looks like this revised copy just arrived today. BIG] Edward Lipinski responds to the following: >As for Ed's thoughts on reasons to not fix ferrets - one thing not >mentioned as that females will, if not fixed (and not bred) DIE. Unless >you limit female ownership to breeders, a lot of females are going to die >slow miserable deaths, bleeding out of every orifice. That's enough of a >reason for me to say that fixing ferrets is very important. (As if pet >overpopulation wasn't enough). >Mary, Boris and Giesela and Booker the dog Dear Mary, Boris and Giesela (I refuse to address your dog), (By the way, just out of idle curiosity, what has you dog got to do with your writing?) As I've mentioned before several times, a vasectomized male ferret kept with an intact, fertile female ferret, will mate with her as required and she'll not develop aplastic anemia nor will she become embryonically pregnant and deliver unwanted baby ferrets (kits). She'll be a very happy contented female, having known what the sexual experience is and will welcome her male with up-raised tail and her positioning herself forward and under the male for ease of penetration by him. Surely, would you deny your little female the thrill and joy of sexual intercourse that you yourself enjoy? Who are you to deny one of God's creatures the ultimate experience and wonderful feeling of heterosexual love? If you've been around ferrets all this time and don't know this, then I am really surprised. Where did you get the information that terminal aplastic anemic ferrets bleed from all their orifices? Something may be dreadfully wrong here. I don't know all there is to know about ferrets, but bleeding from all her holes . . . WOW ! that's a new one one me. Your statement that unbred female ferrets will die, bleeding from all the orifices of her body, is beyond my knowledge. I've had the experience of watching females die of aplastic anemia, have photographed them, and can assure you with photographs if you're interested, of their peaceful, sleeplike, comatose deaths. I know of no ferret that has died, as you put it, bleeding from all orifices of her body, as a consequence directly of aplastic anemia. Unless you have positive proof of your statements, I would respectfully request that you recant your statement and apologize to all readers of the FML for your statements, that, unless you can prove them, please admit that they are patently false and without foundation of any kind. If on the other hand you can prove your statement, then I will commend you to the highest degree possible, and will concede that I too have a lot to learn. I've eaten crow before, and although not especially tasty, is palatable, lying somewhere in taste between the spotted owl and the American eagle. Edward Lipinski, Der Wahrkeitskaempe von Frettchenvergnuegenland, der sagt, "Zapatero a tu zapato." Edward Lipinski, [G.] the champion of truth from ferret joy land, who says, [Spanish] "Shoemaker, mind thy shoe." [Posted in FML issue 2437]