Wish us luck......

Tiger had to go to the emergency vet tonight as he has been unwell
again. He's on the mend now, but has quite a number of mouth ulcers
which is stopping his from having a good appetite....

Anyway, Tiger aside (he's OK) whilst we were there, as the practice is
also the Cardiff Exotic pet practice, a guy brought in a stray baby
ferret. It was very cute, and he had found it wandering along the
street. So.... I aked the vet nurse what would happen to it. She said
that it would be kept for 24/48 hours for an owner to try to get in
touch, and then it would be PTS on orders of the RSPCA as they don't
bother to rehome them - the vet practice tries, but never has much
luck...

She (I think it was a she) *WAS VERY* sweet....... (you can see where
this is going, no?)

*ANYway*... I am going to talk to the exotic vet tomorrow afternoon. He
apparently adores ferrets, and is the best person to *advise* me on
keeping a ferret. To be fair, I know f*ck all about ferrets and have
been frantically reading up on the internet. Anyone know anything about
ferrets? It's likely to be on its way home on Saturday.....

Helen M (who would rather give a home than see it PTS for being a
ferret)


--
Posted via Mailgate.ORG Server - http://www.Mailgate.ORG

"Helen Miles" wrote in message
news:ad5a98eba1a3a4f3231225ab11bcf8c5.76411@mygate .mailgate.org...
Tiger had to go to the emergency vet tonight as he has been unwell
again. He's on the mend now, but has quite a number of mouth ulcers
which is stopping his from having a good appetite....

Anyway, Tiger aside (he's OK) whilst we were there, as the practice is
also the Cardiff Exotic pet practice, a guy brought in a stray baby
ferret. It was very cute, and he had found it wandering along the
street. So.... I aked the vet nurse what would happen to it. She said
that it would be kept for 24/48 hours for an owner to try to get in
touch, and then it would be PTS on orders of the RSPCA as they don't
bother to rehome them - the vet practice tries, but never has much
luck...

She (I think it was a she) *WAS VERY* sweet....... (you can see where
this is going, no?)

*ANYway*... I am going to talk to the exotic vet tomorrow afternoon. He
apparently adores ferrets, and is the best person to *advise* me on
keeping a ferret. To be fair, I know f*ck all about ferrets and have
been frantically reading up on the internet. Anyone know anything about
ferrets? It's likely to be on its way home on Saturday.....

Helen M (who would rather give a home than see it PTS for being a
ferret)



I've kept ferrets a few years ago, managed to rear an orphaned litter, but I
wouldn't describe myself as an expert. I know quite a bit though so ask
away. I might know something useful that could help/

Tweed

On 2006-07-20 17:06:13 -0500, "Helen Miles" said:

Tiger had to go to the emergency vet tonight as he has been unwell
again. He's on the mend now, but has quite a number of mouth ulcers
which is stopping his from having a good appetite....

Anyway, Tiger aside (he's OK) whilst we were there, as the practice is
also the Cardiff Exotic pet practice, a guy brought in a stray baby
ferret. It was very cute, and he had found it wandering along the
street. So.... I aked the vet nurse what would happen to it. She said
that it would be kept for 24/48 hours for an owner to try to get in
touch, and then it would be PTS on orders of the RSPCA as they don't
bother to rehome them - the vet practice tries, but never has much
luck...

She (I think it was a she) *WAS VERY* sweet....... (you can see where
this is going, no?)

*ANYway*... I am going to talk to the exotic vet tomorrow afternoon. He
apparently adores ferrets, and is the best person to *advise* me on
keeping a ferret. To be fair, I know f*ck all about ferrets and have
been frantically reading up on the internet. Anyone know anything about
ferrets? It's likely to be on its way home on Saturday.....

Helen M (who would rather give a home than see it PTS for being a
ferret)

Well, good luck! I know ferrets run cats a merry chase a lot of the
time. I don't know about if they aren't raised together, but I've seen
lots of cats and ferrets together and well, the cats are usually on the
losing end of games and rest is not for the wicked One of my cat
vets specializes in ferrets too. They are a bit lively for me, but
they are cute. And VERY playful (I think they put b*st*rd cat tricks to
shame).

"Christina Websell" wrote in
message

I've kept ferrets a few years ago, managed to rear an orphaned litter, but I
wouldn't describe myself as an expert. I know quite a bit though so ask
away. I might know something useful that could help/

Tweed///

Thanks... the general idea at the moment is to keep it in a very large
wooden hutch in a very sheltered & cool spot near the back door during
the summer and then bringing it indoors during the winter months.

I've heard that they make good house pets, but at the moment I think if
I tried to introduce a ferret into the household I'd have a mass exodus
by the cats!

This is what I know/discovered so far....

They need to be fed a very high protien/high fat diet as they have a
very fast metabolism - High quality kitten kibble such as Eukaneuba is
OK.
They sleep for about 20 hours a day and are most active at dawn and
dust.
They are very friendly and fun, curious, mischevious creatures if
handled a lot and socialised properly
They can be litter trained
They don't like sleeping on the floor
They need to be neutered or spayed - if females are not spayed it can b
life threatening if they are not mated.
They live for 10-12 years (YIKES!)

My main question is, is a wooden hutch/cage secure enough to keep
ferrets in?

Thanks - I really do know bog all about ferrets....

Helen M




--
Posted via Mailgate.ORG Server - http://www.Mailgate.ORG

Helen Miles wrote:

This is what I know/discovered so far....

They need to be fed a very high protien/high fat diet as they have a
very fast metabolism - High quality kitten kibble such as Eukaneuba is
OK.
They sleep for about 20 hours a day and are most active at dawn and
dust.
They are very friendly and fun, curious, mischevious creatures if
handled a lot and socialised properly
They can be litter trained
They don't like sleeping on the floor
They need to be neutered or spayed - if females are not spayed it can b
life threatening if they are not mated.
They live for 10-12 years (YIKES!)

I hear (actually, I've seen, on TV shows) that they can also be quite
destructive to your home with all the playing and exploring they do. You
might want to find out what you can do to ferret-proof your house.

I didn't realize that not mating during heat (or whatever it is called
for ferrets) could be life-threatening for a female. I mean, sometimes
sexual frustration is bad enough that it *feels* life-threatening...
But I never thought it would be literally true.

Joyce

I've want to ger a ferret too come time in the future, but i don't
think i will, cause i know my cats would be FURIOUS. Heck they were
quite put out when i had the bittes here and that was only for three
and a half days. Also right now there's NO way i could deal with
another pet. Even when i get a house someday, three cats is going to
be plenty.

purrs that things will work out.

Kristi

Oh, by the way, Ferrets are extremly mischievous. They like to steal
car keys, food, sparkly things and hoard them somewhere. Once at a
summer camp a woman had two ferrets. As I was petting one the other
climbed up my backpack. UNZIPPED it and disappeared inside. When he
came out he had his teeth clamped firmly on a Rice Crispie treat and
walked back into his carrier with it. Then he returned, and dove back
into the backpack and this time came out with my keys.

Oh, and they bite. HARD

I had a friend in high school who had one or two. They are escape
artists, and unfortunately, both of hers got out somehow and were never
seen again. They can flatten themselves to wafer-thin dimensions.
While she had them though, they were quite fun. Her dog didn't much care
for them though. And even de-sexed they need to be bathed or they get
quite odiferous.

-Caroline S.

Helen Miles wrote:
Tiger had to go to the emergency vet tonight as he has been unwell
again. He's on the mend now, but has quite a number of mouth ulcers
which is stopping his from having a good appetite....

Anyway, Tiger aside (he's OK) whilst we were there, as the practice is
also the Cardiff Exotic pet practice, a guy brought in a stray baby
ferret. It was very cute, and he had found it wandering along the
street. So.... I aked the vet nurse what would happen to it. She said
that it would be kept for 24/48 hours for an owner to try to get in
touch, and then it would be PTS on orders of the RSPCA as they don't
bother to rehome them - the vet practice tries, but never has much
luck...

She (I think it was a she) *WAS VERY* sweet....... (you can see where
this is going, no?)

*ANYway*... I am going to talk to the exotic vet tomorrow afternoon. He
apparently adores ferrets, and is the best person to *advise* me on
keeping a ferret. To be fair, I know f*ck all about ferrets and have
been frantically reading up on the internet. Anyone know anything about
ferrets? It's likely to be on its way home on Saturday.....

Helen M (who would rather give a home than see it PTS for being a
ferret)

On Thu 20 Jul 2006 07:04:21p, Helen Miles wrote in
rec.pets.cats.anecdotes
(news:e4410cde5abd0b9c3f8fdd48bc188702.76411@mygat e.mailgate.org):

Congrats! I know very little about ferrets, though I know our local
shelter takes them in often. Maybe because people find out they are
more high maintenance than was expected? I think they're adorable.
I'd love a couple of them!

This is what I know/discovered so far....

They need to be fed a very high protien/high fat diet as they
have a very fast metabolism - High quality kitten kibble such as
Eukaneuba is OK.
They sleep for about 20 hours a day and are most active at dawn
and dust.
They are very friendly and fun, curious, mischevious creatures
if handled a lot and socialised properly
They can be litter trained
They don't like sleeping on the floor

I watch a TV show on Sat mornings called "Pet Keeping" and the guy
often gives tips about ferrets. I think he's partial to exotic
pets. He says they are den animals, and a good bed/hideyhole is a
terracotta pot with the hole on the bottom made bigger with a drill
and a file, invert it so the ferrets can climb into it from the
top. He demonstrated with his co-stars, and they seemed to like
it.

They need to be neutered or spayed - if females are not spayed
it can b life threatening if they are not mated.
They live for 10-12 years (YIKES!)

My main question is, is a wooden hutch/cage secure enough to
keep ferrets in?

Thanks - I really do know bog all about ferrets....


Good luck!

--
Cheryl

"Mischief" wrote in message
ps.com...
I've want to ger a ferret too come time in the future, but i don't
think i will, cause i know my cats would be FURIOUS. Heck they were
quite put out when i had the bittes here and that was only for three
and a half days. Also right now there's NO way i could deal with
another pet. Even when i get a house someday, three cats is going to
be plenty.

purrs that things will work out.

Kristi

Oh, by the way, Ferrets are extremly mischievous. They like to steal
car keys, food, sparkly things and hoard them somewhere. Once at a
summer camp a woman had two ferrets. As I was petting one the other
climbed up my backpack. UNZIPPED it and disappeared inside. When he
came out he had his teeth clamped firmly on a Rice Crispie treat and
walked back into his carrier with it. Then he returned, and dove back
into the backpack and this time came out with my keys.

Oh, and they bite. HARD


By comparison, cats are trainable. And Bev's Bonnie is a sweet little girl.

Jo

Purrs for tiger.
I think ferrets are adorable!