>From the ferretcentral.org faq: -- What about ferrets attacking babies? There are several stories floating around about ferrets attacking babies, some more true than others. Ferrets are unfamiliar to most people, so it's easier for them to make sweeping statements on the basis of a tiny amount of information. Some of the reports are simply rumor, or the result of confusing another animal with a ferret. Others are based in fact, but omit important information (for instance, that the child and pets had clearly been neglected or abused prior to the attack). A small number are unfortunately true. However, plenty of children have been attacked and even killed by dogs and cats. The number of people injured by ferrets each year is a tiny fraction of the number wounded or killed by dogs. People don't claim that all dogs and cats are too dangerous for pets, but rather that more responsible parenting and pet ownership is needed.
According to Chris Lewis, former moderator of the Ferret Mailing List: The FML has carried confirmed reports of two, possibly three, cases where an animal identified as a "ferret" has seriously injured, and in one case, I believe, killed, infants. One in the UK, and one or two in the US. In none of these cases has it been proven that the animal was a ferret - particularly in the UK, it is quite possible that the animal was actually an European polecat which are raised for fur and sometimes for hunting (in the UK). And in each case gross child and animal abuse is well documented. But it's important to remember, that even the most pessimistic statistics on ferrets show that a ferret is about a thousand times *less* likely to cause injury than a dog. Indeed, every year there are hundreds of very serious or fatal dog attacks in the US alone. Worst case statistics show approximately 12 ferret attacks ever recorded in the US. Dr. Bruce Williams, DVM, adds: I can say from personal experience that there are many, many more bite incidents with the household dog or cat, and that either of these species tend to do a lot more damage. I have seen children require over a hundred facial stitches from getting between the dog and its food, but never anything like this with a ferret. But I've also been nailed by my share of ferrets too. Personally, I don't recommend ferrets for people with children under 6 or 7 - either the child or the ferret ends up getting hurt. -- regards, larry -- Larry C. Lyons ColdFusion/Web Developer Certified Advanced ColdFusion 5 Developer EBStor.com 8870 Rixlew Lane, Suite 204 Manassas, Virginia 20109-3795 tel: (703) 393-7930 fax: (703) 393-2659 Web: http://www.ebstor.com http://www.pacel.com email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Chaos, panic, and disorder - my work here is done. -- > -----Original Message----- > From: Haggerty, Michael A. [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]] > Sent: Tuesday, April 16, 2002 3:13 PM > To: CF-Community > Subject: RE: new web cam > > > Um... sorry to have to share this with you, but be careful > with Ferrets and > kids. A pair of them tried to eat my daughter once, no joke. > She had just > turned 1, and the pair of Ferrets my roommate had climbed > into her crib and > began chewing on her scalp. My dog Jake went nuts, and he was the only > reason I knew anything was bad was wrong. The baby ended up > getting three > stitches once it was all over with, so... > > *noticable shudder remembering what it was like* > > I know they look cute and cuddly and you would never suspect > them of being > able to do much of anything, but think carefully before buying one. > > M > > -----Original Message----- > From: Larry Lyons [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]] > Sent: Tuesday, April 16, 2002 2:53 PM > To: CF-Community > Subject: RE: new web cam > > > Stephenie, > > first off explore this site http://www.ferretcentral.org, I'd > especially go > through this part of the FAQ. > http://www.ferretcentral.org/faq/part1.html#what_are > > Ferrets are can be great pets, a lot of those owned by > ferrets (or so it > seems) seem to think so. However they are high maintenence > pets. There is a > lot that you have to do with them. Ferret proofing is > important. Ferrets can > get into some very small places, and as a result you need to > go over your > place, blocking off potentially dangerous places, like holes in walls, > cabinets etc. You need to make sure that the back and undersides of > refridgerators and other applicances are not accessible. Is > your son willing > to do that? You may want to look at Mary R. Shefferman's The > Ferret: An > Owner's Guide to a Happy Healthy Pet > <http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/087605498X/qid=1018982 > 829/sr=1-1/ref > =sr_1_1/104-9982261-7729531> as a starter. > > hth, > > larry > > -- > Larry C. Lyons > ColdFusion/Web Developer > Certified Advanced ColdFusion 5 Developer > EBStor.com > 8870 Rixlew Lane, Suite 204 > Manassas, Virginia 20109-3795 > tel: (703) 393-7930 > fax: (703) 393-2659 > Web: http://www.ebstor.com > http://www.pacel.com > email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Chaos, panic, and disorder - my work here is done. > -- > > > -----Original Message----- > > From: Stephenie Hamilton [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]] > > Sent: Tuesday, April 16, 2002 2:46 PM > > To: CF-Community > > Subject: RE: new web cam > > > > > > ok, so my youngest (10 yrs old) really thinks he wants a > > ferret...of course i realize i would be doing most of the work > > (that is ok, i don't expect a 10 yr old to handle every aspect of > > owning an animal)...but i wonder, if you get one, do they get > > lonely? if you get 2, do they get in 10 times as much trouble? > > what do they eat? how much do they cost monthly? what special > > problems do you have to look out for? what about the smell? i > > heard you can get their "glands" removed to elimiate the > > smell...is that in any way hazardous to them? is it expensive? > > what do the folks who have owned ferrets suggest for guidelines? > > any info would be appreciated! > > > > > > ~~ > > Stephenie Hamilton > > Macromedia Certified ColdFusion Professional > > http://coldfusionwebs.com > > > > > > > > > > -----Original Message----- > > From: Larry Lyons [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]] > > Sent: Tuesday, April 16, 2002 2:11 PM > > To: CF-Community > > Subject: RE: new web cam > > > > > > Not really they adapted their schedule to us. They wake up around > > 6:30AM or > > so and are back asleep around 8 AM. They sleep most of the day > > until we get > > home. then around 6pm they start to wake up around then. However > > if I'm > > working at home and leave them out they come and go throughout > > the house as > > they please. Normally, we don't leave them out during the day, > > there are too > > many things that could happen or go wrong if we're at least not > > available to > > stop them from occurring. Generally they treat the cage as a > > place to sleep > > and eat. Rioting happens outside the cage. I'll look at rigging > > something up > > in the near future. > > > > larry > > > > -- > > Larry C. Lyons > > ColdFusion/Web Developer > > Certified Advanced ColdFusion 5 Developer > > EBStor.com > > 8870 Rixlew Lane, Suite 204 > > Manassas, Virginia 20109-3795 > > tel: (703) 393-7930 > > fax: (703) 393-2659 > > Web: http://www.ebstor.com > > http://www.pacel.com > > email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > Chaos, panic, and disorder - my work here is done. > > -- > > > > > -----Original Message----- > > > From: Stephenie Hamilton [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]] > > > Sent: Tuesday, April 16, 2002 2:13 PM > > > To: CF-Community > > > Subject: RE: new web cam > > > > > > > > > ok, are ferrets nocturnal creatures? do they have to stay in > > that > > > cage all day? i want to see some fun furry antics!! > > > > > > > > > ~~ > > > Stephenie Hamilton > > > Macromedia Certified ColdFusion Professional > > > http://coldfusionwebs.com > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > -----Original Message----- > > > From: Stephenie Hamilton [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]] > > > Sent: Tuesday, April 16, 2002 2:04 PM > > > To: CF-Community > > > Subject: RE: new web cam > > > > > > > > > hey, i can finally see the furry critters! > > > > > > > > > > > > ~~ > > > Stephenie Hamilton > > > Macromedia Certified ColdFusion Professional > > > http://coldfusionwebs.com > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > -----Original Message----- > > > From: Greenwood, Erin E. [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]] > > > Sent: Tuesday, April 16, 2002 8:23 AM > > > To: CF-Community > > > Subject: RE: new web cam > > > > > > > > > Good snoozing ferret shot this morning ... I have to keep > > > reminding myself > > > that I DO NOT need anymore quadrapeds in my apartment. I'm > > > already > > > outnumbered. > > > > > > : ) > > > > > > -----Original Message----- > > > From: Stephenie Hamilton [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]] > > > Sent: Monday, April 15, 2002 4:31 PM > > > To: CF-Community > > > Subject: RE: new web cam > > > > > > > > > wait, not a 404, but a Cannot find server or DNS Error > > > > > > > > > ~~ > > > Stephenie Hamilton > > > Macromedia Certified ColdFusion Professional > > > http://coldfusionwebs.com > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > -----Original Message----- > > > From: Stephenie Hamilton [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]] > > > Sent: Monday, April 15, 2002 4:27 PM > > > To: CF-Community > > > Subject: RE: new web cam > > > > > > > > > crud...i am getting a 404 at this url > > > http://www.lyonsmorris.com/weazlcam.htm > > > > > > > > > > > > ~~ > > > Stephenie Hamilton > > > Macromedia Certified ColdFusion Professional > > > http://coldfusionwebs.com > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > -----Original Message----- > > > From: Larry Lyons [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]] > > > Sent: Monday, April 15, 2002 9:34 AM > > > To: CF-Community > > > Subject: new web cam > > > > > > > > > Hi all, > > > > > > I finally broke down and decided to do something about that > > > logitech camera > > > someone gave us. So we set up a web cam of our ferrets: > > > http://www.lyonsmorris.com/weazlcam.htm > > > > > > enjoy, > > > > > > larry > > > > > > -- > > > Larry C. Lyons > > > ColdFusion/Web Developer > > > Certified Advanced ColdFusion 5 Developer > > > EBStor.com > > > 8870 Rixlew Lane, Suite 204 > > > Manassas, Virginia 20109-3795 > > > tel: (703) 393-7930 > > > fax: (703) 393-2659 > > > Web: http://www.ebstor.com > > > http://www.pacel.com > > > email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > > Chaos, panic, and disorder - my work here is done. > > > -- > > > > > _________________________________________________________________ > > > _____ > > > Signup for the Fusion Authority news alert and keep up with the > > > latest news in ColdFusion and related topics. > > > http://www.fusionauthority.com/signup.cfm > > > > > > Archives: > > > http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/ > > > Unsubscribe: > > http://www.houseoffusion.com/index.cfm?sidebar=lists > > > > > > > > > > > _________________________________________________________________ > > > _____ > > > Structure your ColdFusion code with Fusebox. Get the official > > > book at http://www.fusionauthority.com/bkinfo.cfm > > > > > > Archives: > > > http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/ > > > Unsubscribe: > > http://www.houseoffusion.com/index.cfm?sidebar=lists > > > > > > > > > > > > > > _________________________________________________________________ > > > _____ > > > Structure your ColdFusion code with Fusebox. Get the official > > > book at http://www.fusionauthority.com/bkinfo.cfm > > > > > > Archives: > > > http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/ > > > Unsubscribe: > > http://www.houseoffusion.com/index.cfm?sidebar=lists > > > > > > > > > > > _________________________________________________________________ > > > _____ > > > Structure your ColdFusion code with Fusebox. Get the official > > > book at http://www.fusionauthority.com/bkinfo.cfm > > > > > > Archives: > > > http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/ > > > Unsubscribe: > > http://www.houseoffusion.com/index.cfm?sidebar=lists > > > > > > > > > > > _________________________________________________________________ > > _____ > > Structure your ColdFusion code with Fusebox. Get the official > > book at http://www.fusionauthority.com/bkinfo.cfm > > > > Archives: > > http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/ > > Unsubscribe: http://www.houseoffusion.com/index.cfm?sidebar=lists > > > > > > > > ______________________________________________________________________ Structure your ColdFusion code with Fusebox. Get the official book at http://www.fusionauthority.com/bkinfo.cfm Archives: http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/ Unsubscribe: http://www.houseoffusion.com/index.cfm?sidebar=lists
