Triangle Ferret Lovers Newsletter

Issue 5, March/April 1996

Our goal is to promote the welfare of the domestic ferret through public awareness, and increase the enjoyment of ferret ownership by providing information and activities.

Table of Contents

  1. What should I include in my ferrets' cage?
  2. Next TriFL Meeting
  3. March 2nd Meeting Notes
  4. To reach Triangle Ferret Lovers online
  5. Pet Carrier I.D.
  6. National Ferret Event Schedule
  7. Ferret Facts
  8. Flying through the air...
  9. Renaissance Faire!
  10. Ferret Cookie Cutters!
  11. Shelter Information and Contacts
  12. Newsletter Address

What should I include in my ferrets' cage?

 Ferrets are kept in a cage or a very well-ferretproofed room whenever they cannot be supervised. This drastically reduces the risks of digestive-tract blockages from swallowing indigestible objects (soft rubber balls), injury, and escape. If let your ferrets have run of the home, you will still want a cage for litter-training, as well as, temporary use, e.g. when vacuuming or taking your pet on vacation. A good cage size is about 2 X 3 feet and 2 feet high (60 X 100 X 60 cm) for 1-3 ferrets. In the cage, you will want some sort of "bedroom" for your pet. A ferret will not be happy sleeping on the open floor of a cage. Any small cardboard box or basket works well as a bedroom. Old towels make excellent bedding, as long as they are not easily chewed to bits. Other than food, water, a litter pan, bedding, and a bedroom, what you put in the cage is up to you. Hammocks are very popular for both napping and playing; plus, ramps, ledges, tunnels, and toys will be enjoyed - again, no soft rubber objects. Just be sure nothing you put in your ferrets' cage could hurt him, whether by catching a toe, being swallowed, or some other way. Be sure your cage door fastens securely.

Please do not use cedar or pine wood shavings. Cedar has been associated with allergies and respiratory problems in various animals, and pine and other woods also produce a fair amount of dust which is not good to breathe. Cedar shavings, as well as other aromatic soft woods (white and yellow pines), release volatile hydrocarbons. Plicatic acid, a volatile hydrocarbon, results in asthma in humans and rabbits. Other hydrocarbons result in changes in the liver, which may impair its ability to detoxify certain drugs. Ferrets are more like cats than hamsters: they'll be quite happy with a clean towel or old t-shirt placed in a small "bedroom box" or basket for sleeping. Clean the cage and launder the 'blankies' weekly, at minimum. Of course, clean litter box daily.

The clumping varieties of litter has its downside, due to some ferrets' habits of sniffing at their litter corners or dragging their rumps across the litter when done using it. The litter can get into their nose or rectum, where it clumps and causes problems. You can use a dust-free non-clumping cat litter, or like some owners, use alfalfa pellets (rabbit food) or recycled newspaper pellets, which can be less expensive than some brands of cat litter but generally does not cover odor as well. If and when you switch, it may take a while for him to connect the scent of the new litter with where he is supposed to go.

Next TriFL Meeting

 Mark you calendar for the next TriFL meeting: Saturday, April 6th at the "Youth For Christ" building, 103 Salem Street, 2nd floor, Apex. You are welcome to bring your up-to-date vaccinated, non-aggressive ferret/s with a litter box for group playtime from 1pm-2pm. Place your fuzzballs back into their carriers, and our meeting will begin @ 2pm to 3pm.

DIRECTIONS: From Raleigh- US 1 to Ten-Ten exit, left to Apex, left on Salem St., building on right. Park at Apex First Baptist Church.

From Durham/Chapel Hill- Hwy 55 to Apex, left on Salem St., church will be on your left before YFC building.

Call Fred Richardson for further directions w: 362-7588, h: 266-5091.

March 2nd Meeting Notes
  1. Eleven 2-leggers and six 4-leggers.
  2. Newsletter distribution will be handled by volunteer members receiving a 4 page 8x11 'original', and make their own set of copies. A ream of colored paper will be available at April meeting so we will all be color coordinated.
  3. Karen Marsh-Lovvorn is putting together the vet question- naire responses. Please give her a hand @ 596-9393.
  4. TriFL members are needed to help with the upcoming Renaissance Faire. The signage, table, and costumes need to be made asap. If you can help out on weekends, call Karen Marsh-Lovvorn.
  5. To be a guest author for a section of the TriFL newsletter, contact Shari, 231-3222 or e-mail ShariDiane@aol.com. Or bring your article or pet photographs to the next meeting.
  6. Another Committee and Chairperson named: Membership & Finance-Heather Hildebrandt and Activities/Special Events-Open. We now have three required Board of Directors and will start working on our Not-For-Profit status.
  7. Eric Sessoms & Pam Dutcher announced their engagement. Congrats! It seems Sonic, Sunny, and Willard will not let their parents give out the nuptial date, and have stolen the invitations. Ferrets!
Annual Dues/Club Membership Fee was agreed upon as $15. This fee will help to defray newsletter production and mailing costs to members, vets, and pet stores, as well as, a permanent display exhibit with signage. The newsletter is vital in providing all ferret lovers information on care and activities. Membership cards (artistic volunteer?) and pet store discounts are being approached in March. If you cannot attend the April 6th meeting, but want to be a contributing TriFL member, please send your dues to the return address payable to Heather Hildebrandt.

To reach Triangle Ferret Lovers online:

 TRIFL World Wide Web page address =
http://www.trifl.org/

Pet Carrier I.D.

 On the outside of your pet carrier, put your name, address, phone number; veterinarian name, address, phone number; pet breed (domestic ferret), name and age. This info will assist EMS workers help you and your ferret/s if you are in a car accident together. This is, of course, (hopefully) assuming you carry your ferret/s in a pet carrier when driving or are a passenger.

National Ferret Event Schedule

 Not all events feature ferrets, but ferret organizations will usually be there. Telephone numbers are available by contacting Shari Gunter @ (919) 872-1174, 9am-5pm. 

         Show Sanctioning Organizations:

Ferret Unity & Registration Org. = FURO

League of Independent Ferret Enthusiasts = LIFE

North American Ferret Assoc. = NAFA



MAR 16-17 Pet Expo. Tampa Convention Center, FL

MAR 16-17 Pet Expo. Rhode Island Convention Center, RI

MAR 22-24 Chicagoland Family Pet Show. Arlington International Racecourse, IL

MAR 23 Loundon Area Ferret Fanciers (LAFF) Ferrets on Parade - Northern VA

MAR 23 FURO Show. Garden State Ferret Association, NJ

APR 13 NAFA Show. Midwest Ferret Expo, Elkhart Co. Fairgrounds, IN 

APR 20-21 Pet Expo. Rockland Community College, Suffern, NY

APR 21 Ferret Frolic. Ferret Assoc of Rhode Island, Kingstown

APR 26-28 America's Family Pet Expo., L.A. Fairgrounds, Pomona, CA

APR 27-28 Exotics & Family Pet Showcase. Garden State Park Racetrack, Cherry Hill, NJ

MAY 11 NAFA private show, OH

MAY 18 Ferret Event in Northern NH

MAY 25-JUN 2 Pet Expo. Miami Beach Convention Center, FL

MAY ? Metro Ferret Rescue League. Washington, DC

JUN 1 Keene, NH - Ferrets and Friends Walk for Ferret Wise, a walkathon to

benefit the rehabilitation projects at Ferret Wise shelter in Marlborough,NH

JUN 8 Ferret Quest 96 - GLFA Annual Spring show. Ramada Inn, Romulus, MI

JUN 9 FACT Frolic, CT

JUN 22 LOS of NJ Ferret Frenzy, Edison, NJ

AUG 17-18 Exotics & Family Pet Showcase. Raritan center, Edison, NJ

AUG 24 LIFE Show. LOS WA, Seattle

AUG 30 - SEPT 2 Pet Expo. Broward Co. Convention Center, Ft. Lauderdale, FL

SEPT 14 NAFA Show. Ohio Ferret Fanciers Association

SEPT 21 Baltimore Ferret Club Show. Annapolis, MD

SEPT or OCT Renaissance 96 GLFA Fall show, MI

OCT 5 National Ferret Fiasco. Legion of Superferrets, Croydon, PA

OCT 12 LIFE Show. Atlanta, GA - Georgia Domestic Ferret Assoc.

OCT 19 8th edition of Greatest Ferret Show on Earth. DuPage Co. Fairgrounds,

IL - GCFA, Box 7093, Westchester, IL 60154

NOV 2 LIFE Show. Susquehana Valley Ferret Club, PA

NOV 9 FACT Show. CT

NOV 14-17 Pet Expo. Nassau Coliseum, Long Island, NY
Courtesy of STAR* Ferrets, PO Box 1714, Springfield, VA 22151 - Pam Grant, Director. STAR* Ferrets also publish a quarterly newsletter and the book FERRET CARE AND RESCUE.

  • Ferret Facts:

     Unless your ferret/s are locked up in a cage, don't assume you know where they are! They move like lightning. Ferrets love their people-pets and will follow them around everywhere. If you're not careful you'll kick them, step on them, or step on their toes. Learn to shuffle your feet around the house and watch your feet when you step down or over something! Or teach them to wear an elastic collar or harness with bells (you'll still have to watch out, though). Check every seat before you sit down! Fuzzies will snuggle under the blankets, coverlets, pillows, cushions where you sit to be cozy and to be near you and your smell. Every time ferrets wake up they stretch and yawn (the little cuties). That's a good time to occasionally take a flashlight and have a look inside their mouths and down their throats for anything that looks superficially wrong (like inflammation or a sore) and check their noses and eyes. (An ounce of prevention ...) When they're sound asleep is a good time to check inside their ears and to listen to their breathing. When you cuddle them you can put your ear up to their chests or backs to check for any unusual (wheezy) breathing sounds. Of course, if you handle them constantly (like you should!), you'll know right away if there are any unusual changes in their bodies, like a suspicious lump, a sore limb, etc. Animals are stoic about pain and discomfort -- they're not generally crybabies like we humans are -- so it's wise to get in the habit of routinely checking them for symptoms. As long as you give them lots of fresh food and water in clean dishes, keep their quarters and bedding clean and fresh, and show them lots of affection, you'll most likely have no problems at all.

    Flying through the air..

     Planning on travelling by commercial airlines with your ferret? Here is a current list of companies who will allow you to bring your ferret on board in a small pet carrier that fits underneath your seat: 
    
Delta - $60 charge, health certificate.

America West - $50 each way charge, health certificate.

Air Canada

UTA (Air France)

KLM

Alitalia
    Call and verify this information and required documentation when planning your trip. Policies can change, as well as, fees.

    Renaissance Faire!

     TriFL will be presenting an educational exhibit on ferrets at Raleigh's 2nd Annual NC Renaissance Faire, on Saturday April 27 from 10:00am-8:00pm, and Sunday, April 28 from 1:00-8:00pm. The location has changed. It will be on Thornton Road, which is off US 1/Capital Boulevard, north of Durant/Perry Creek Road intersection (about 9 miles north of I440). We need people to help build and man our rented 10'x 10' booth, as well as, provide information and demonstrations "on stage" at various times throughout the weekend. Please volunteer, even if it's just for a few hours on faire day, or help with construction. Supplies and booth design ideas are badly needed. Anyone have experience with period productions? Call Karen Marsh-Lovvorn @ 596-9393 if you can help out on weekends before the event (3/16, 3/30, 4/6, and 4/20). This will be a lot of fun and great positive publicity for the club and our furry friends. Wendy Bollinger has volunteered to assist in costume creation, and can be contacted through TriFL e-mail.

    If you plan to carry your ferret around the faire or participate in the demonstrations, please bring an appropriate carry bag and/or harness and leash. If you really want to be authentic a leather or braided rope/fabric harness would work well. Feel free to bring songs, poems, stories, props, or teach your ferret a few tricks to show off. You can even dress them in costumes. Hands-on is very important, and audience participation is a big part of the atmosphere, so please bring only your even-tempered and child-friendly fuzzball.

    Ferret Cookie Cutters!

     Ferrets Anonymous (dedicated to legalizing the domestic ferret in California) sell cookie cutters (plus misc. merchandise) for their organization. Addresses and phone number are: PO Box 3395, San Diego, CA 92163, (619) 584-8427, legalin95@aol.com

    The Crafty Ferret, Donna Austin, 1060 Sun Valley Drive, Annapolis, MD 21401, (410) 626-7707, e-mail is ferretfan@aol.com. Besides cookie cutters, they carry etched glass, ferret shaped carpets, aprons, etc. Their cookie cutters come in albino and sable - that is they have either sugar or molasses recipe included.

    Shelter Information and Contacts

     Please support your local ferret shelters. If you are unable to donate financially, they can also use ferret/kitten food, old t-shirts, sweatshirts, towels, toys, water bottles, food dishes and other ferret accessories, laundry detergent, and paper towels. The following biographies are of three adorable ferrets who are in need of a loving person/family:

    Fuji, featured in last month's newsletter, has found a wonderful new home!

    Roscoe: 3 year old albino neutered and descented male from Marshall Farms. Rabies and Canine Distemper shots up-to-date. Active and energetic, Roscoe loves to get out and play - with anything! Lifelong pal to Bandit (see bio below). Gets along well with older kids and cats, but tends to nip when excited (who doesn't?). Loves people, but is very aggressive toward all other ferrets except Bandit. Only adoptable to an experienced ferret owner who is willing to give him special care and loving attention. Favorite toys: anything!, bags, balls, socks, and stuffed animals. Likes Nutri-cal/Ferret-vite and Ferretone as a treat. He eats a combination of Marshall's, Totally Ferret, and Kaytee.

    Bandit: 3 year old sable mitt spayed female. Rabies and Canine Distemper up-to-date. She is known at the shelter as The Great Ferretini - Escape Artist Extraordinaire! Very curious, friendly, and great with kids. Gets along with cats. Must be adopted with boy-pal Roscoe (see above bio). While she is cuddly and sweet with people, she does not like other ferrets (except Roscoe) and will scream like a banshee and take evasive action if "intruders" get too close. Favorite toys: stuffed animals, socks, and plastic bags. Enjoys raisins, Linatone/Ferretone, and Nutri-cal as a treat.

    Please contact Karen Marsh-Lovvorn of Rogues Gallery at 596-9393, or Linda Goodwin of Guardian Angels at 362-8460, if you can adopt a shelter ferret!

    TriFL Newsletter Address

     
    
TRIangle Ferret Lovers

PO Box 61091

Raleigh, NC  27661-1091
    Shari Gunter is the TriFL Newsletter editor. Please contact Shari at sharidiane@aol.com if you have questions about TriFL Newsletter content.

    This web page is maintained by Pam Sessoms. I can be reached at: pjdutche@email.unc.edu.

    Take me back to the top of this Newsletter, please!

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