Ferrets Quarterly - SPRING 2020 - ISSUE NO. 2

A publication of MARSHALL PET

F E R R E T S Q U A R T E R LY | S P R I N G 2 0 2 0 | I S S U E N O . 2

FERRET MATH

B E T YO U CA N ’ T H AV E J U ST O N E

ASK THE VET K E E P YO U R F E R R E TS S A F E AS T H E Y S TA R T TO E X P LO R E S P R I N G

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FEATURES

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FERRET MATH

It’s almost impossible to have only one ferret. Find out how some of our superfans built their businesses.

Photo credit: Jay Hufty

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From developing the best practices for breeding, to developing the freshest and highest quality nutrition, to creating a catalog of products to fulfill all aspects of the ferrets’ lives and behaviors, the ferrets have guided our efforts. Our company of ferret enthusiasts works to engage and educate every household that chooses a ferret to be part of their family with the knowledge we have learned.

FERRET: A POEM

This adorable poem written by a fan captures the joy that ferrets bring to even the littlest of moments.

Photo credit: Dietra DeRose

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FERRET FAMILIES

Stories of ferrets and their families.

Photo credit: Alexis Oaks

AMANDA ALTMAN Editor AAltman@MarshallPet.com T

800. 292. 3424

ABOUT THE COVER

This portrait of Yoshi and Kirby was ordered by a woman for her daughter last year. She explained that her daughter would soon be moving to NYC and could not take them with her. She asked the artist, Jacqueline, if she happened to know anyone who could take them on. Yoshi and Kirby will now live with Jacqueline for the next two years, while their humans are in NYC. The daughter was given the portrait before she moved. She loved it!

Jacqueline sends them photos and videos of Yoshi and Kirby regularly.

MARSHALL PET PRODUCTS Wolcott, NY 14590 Monday – Friday 8am–4pm www.MarshallPet.com E

T 800. 292. 3424 ferrets@MarshallPet.com FB @MarshallPetFerrets

MEET THE ARTIST

Meet Jacqueline. She submitted the artwork on the cover of this issue to the #FerretQuarantineContest.

We felt it was cover-worthy. Jacqueline works in pastels in a realistic, traditional style from her home in Norfolk, UK. She offers private commission pet portraits from photographs and creates wildlife art all for sale on her Facebook page.

Follow Jacqueline on FB @JacquelineBrightPetPortraits

REGULARS 7

ASK THE VET

8

NEWS FROM HQ

9

ASK A FERRET

10

DIETRA’S PHOTO

14

#FELFIEFRIDAY

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#FEATUREFERRETS

SPRING 2020 | 3

LETTER FROM the PRESIDENT

H

ello again. I can’t believe how much has happened since our last issue! Rest assured that we are here to support you, our ferret community, as best we can. We will continue to stock your online and local retailers with your favorite ferret products, answer our customer service line, and help you find your next furry friend when you are ready to expand your business.

Expanding your business is what this issue is about. Ferret math is a very real phenomenon that effects much of our community. The cover story highlights three of our superfans who have very large businesses and how they came to be. While we wanted to address COVID-19 (please see our back cover for the official statement from headquarters), we did not want to dedicate an entire issue to the situation. Instead, we wanted to lend you support during the spring months with some wise words from our Ask the Vet column on page 7 and Ask a Ferret on page 9. And Paul’s News from HQ on page 8 celebrates the last couple of shows we had before the travel bans. If you’ve got a good story or idea for the magazine, reach out to us on Facebook — we’d love to hear from you.

Thank you so much for being amazing ferrents. Without you, the families that love and cherish your pets, we wouldn’t be here. We wouldn’t be able to share our curious animals with you or be able to provide you with the things you need to keep your ferrets happy and healthy. We simply love being a part of your ferret family.

With Best Regards, Peter Reid

By: Amanda Altman

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FERRET MATH + = C

indy Grande is the proud owner of 26 ferrets.

Many of them were rescues, but her first was purchased from a Pet Value in April of 2018.

How could someone go from one ferret to 26 in two years? Ferret math. Cindy and all of the fans featured here have fallen victim to ferret math for one reason or another. Let’s take a peek into what it takes to own a large business and how they got that large!

C I N DY ’S F E R R ETS A R E:

1. Arizona 2. Axle 3. Bones 4. Bruno 5. Cali 6. Chevy 7. Comet 8. Cotton 9. Denver 10. Detroit 11. Foxie 12. Harley 13. Jinx

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Luna Maverick Memphis Mercedes Nova Ollie Phoenix Shi-lo Stash Taz Weasie Waverly Zuri

In April of 2018 Cindy walked into a Pet Value. She did not plan on buying a ferret or any other animal for that reason. She simply was doing a little shopping. The ferret enclosure drew her in and before she knew it, she was holding her first ferret. She describes it as holding her own baby for the very first time. Cindy had fallen in love. She never planned on having a large business, but she is never one to turn away a ferret in need. Once she had the resources to care for one ferret, she thought, why not have more? She has become the person that ferret owners in her area go to when they can’t take care of their ferrets anymore for one reason or another.

One case in particular was a bonded pair named Axle and Ollie. These two ferrets were kept in a small cage in a shed with no heat. Cindy had been referred to the lady by a concerned friend. Even though she had not intended to add to her business, once she saw the conditions these two were living in, she couldn’t leave them to die and took them then and there. She took them home, gave them baths and kept them well fed and doted on. Rather quickly, these two went from very shy and malnourished, to energetic, healthy slinkies. Axle and Ollie are considered her miracle ferrets. They are now a happy 5 and 6 years old.

The rest of the crew is happy and healthy. Cindy gets help from her local Pet Value team with price matching on her bulk food and supplies and said that using puppy pads has helped with the litter mess that many of them make.

While Cindy doesn’t plan on adding any more to her already large business, she states that her door and heart are always open to those in need. She simply loves kissing those little noses and toes and learning the unique personality that each one brings to her business.

SPRING 2020 | 5

J

ay Hufty is a self-proclaimed ferret addict. He had owned a ferret earlier in life, but never could he have anticipated being owned by a business of 11 ferrets!

It all started on Valentine’s Day 2011 when he and his now ex-wife had wandered in a Petco simply to browse the animals. There he met Ms. Shelby, who kept clawing and climbing up into his arms, even after he had put her down repeatedly. It was then that the couple had decided to get a ferret to celebrate. They brought her home and made her a part of the family. From there, the business got added to rather quickly.

Some of his ferrets were given to him by owners who couldn’t keep them, one was purchased as a Christmas gift by his mother, and one simply found Jay by the way of dumb luck.

It was a spring day and he was helping a neighbor with some yard work. The neighbor had announced that there was a ferret on the loose and asked if Jay had lost one. Because he knew all of his ferrets were safe at home, he said no, but now he was concerned for this escaped little bandit. He continued working in the yard until they saw something out of the corner of their eyes.

Could it be? Jay had to investigate. Sure enough, under the ramp to the front porch of the house was a scared little ferret! She let him approach and he picked her up. She was very shy and afraid, but Jay calmed her down. He took her home, gave her a bath and introduced Keiko Jane to the business.

Keiko is Japanese for blessed lucky child.

Very fitting for an escaped ferret that just happened to find Jay Hufty.

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our years ago Robert M. Chapman wanted a ferret. He heard that ferrets were one of the only species that could die from a broken heart so instead of one, he got two. Fast-forward to about a year ago when Robert decided to rescue ferrets. Since then his original business of seven has increased to 12 ranging from a few months to four years old. Don’t try to add it up; it’s ferret math!

With all of the ferrets he had, something was still missing, and he was adamant about adopting an albino ferret. He found one… that came as half of a bonded pair. These two were named Ms. Bianca and Bernard after the couple of mice from the Disney movie, The Rescuers. Jay’s business of 11 ferrets was now complete.

You can follow the hijinks of Jay’s crew on his public Facebook group called Hufty’s Business of Eleven Fuzzbutts & One Kitty. Sadly, some of the males don’t get along or play well with each other, so he has to keep two large cages with two groups of ferrets separated.

He does like to allow one group free rein in his closed bedroom while he works and has set up a camera with remote access to be able to check in on them throughout the work day.

When he gets home, he switches out who gets to run wild and who has to take their turn in the cages. His ferretopia consists of over 75 feet of flexible, durable, drainage pipe twisted through four cinder blocks and under the gap in his platform bed. Jay has also created an area in his yard that is ferret-proof so they can enjoy the grass under their paws. He also regularly takes his business out for adventures in his homemade ferret chariot made with an old Radio Flyer wagon and a Marshall playpen.

Jay says he has no regrets having a large business. He has no plans on adding to his business right now, but if one needs a home he will happily take them in.

JAY ’S F E R R ETS A R E :

1. Ms. Shelby 2. Old Dude Tyler 3. Ms. Sophia

4. Daisy Dook 5. Loki Boy 6. Gus Gus

7. Esmeralda 8. Quasimodo 9. Ms. Bianca

10. Bernard 11. Keiko Jane

After losing one of his first ferrets to a plastic blockage, his mission has become to educate everyone about the needs of these curious creatures and help give all ferrets a clean, happy and healthy home. He warns that ferret owners must always be vigilant.

That ferrets are like human babies in that they chew, bite, spit, holler and scratch everything they come in contact with. But Robert insists that with the right training and a little knowhow they can become literally the best pet a person could ever have.

Since Robert has started to rescue ferrets from dirty and abusive homes, he has some messages of warning to people thinking about getting ferrets. “When we take it upon ourselves to bring these little guys into our homes, we need to remember that although ferrets are domestic and teachable, they are animals and will act that way. They will rifle through your belongings, steal and hide your things,” he says. They will eat anything that tastes good to them, so ferret-proofing is a must. He encourages people to evaluate their environments as if they were preparing for a toddler to roam free. Tie and tape power cords, remove glass from counters and tables, make sure there is nothing they can swallow and choke on and, more than anything, block all potential escape routes.

Even the smallest hole or opening is an invite for a feisty ferret to disappear.

Despite the efforts it takes to be a good ferrent, Robert insists that this is the best decision he has made. That the best part of every day is being met with a barrage of tiny kisses, screams of excitement and bouncing little furballs. That every day he is gifted with the joy of being a very happy and proud business owner.

R O B E R T ’ S F E R R ETS AR E:

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Tim Jim Forest Fatwan Fatbrother Winter

7. Mike Tyson 8. Fiona 9. Gizmo 10. Little Kicken Pants 11. Jasmine 12. Princess Bubblegum

SPRING 2020 | 7

Ask the VET Spring has sprung and the weather is warming up.

We encourage you to spend time with your ferret outside.

Time spent with your ferret strengthens your bond, and adventures outside their normal spaces enrich their lives.

Having them experience different textures, activities and environments helps them to better develop their brains.

Be safe by knowing about some potential dangers before you let your ferret outside.

Ferrets have an instinct to dig and burrow.

They will get dirty. What are the best bathing practices?

What flowers or plants are harmful to my ferret?

• Aloe Vera • Amaryllis • Azalea • Baby’s Breath • Begonia • Carnation • Castor Bean • Chrysanthemum

• Cyclamen • Daffodil • Gladiola • Hosta • Ivy • Lily (all species) • Milkweed • Morning Glory

• Oleander • Poinsettia • Pothos • Sago Palm • Tulips • Narcissus • Rhododendron • Yew

Believe it or not, bathing your ferret too much will actually make him smell worse! In addition, your ferret’s natural oils help its skin to stay moisturized and its coat shiny. You...

• Bathe with shampoo once a month water as needed: • Bathe –with

Let them run in the bathtub with water

– Allow them to splash in a small pool – Give them a wide, shallow bowl of water

Any fruits or vegetables in my garden that I should protect them from?

Vegetables and fruits of all sorts in a large enough quantity could be very bad for your ferret. These in particular are lethal in your kitchen and garden:

• • Raisins • Avocado Grapes

« 24” Ferret Pool

• • Garlic and Similar Vegetables • Tomato Plants Onions

« No Tears Shampoo with Aloe Vera

Keep your ferret close by using one of these methods:

Ferrets can get fleas and ticks!

Especially if your ferret shares a home with a dog or cat that goes outside often. We recommend any treatment or preventative you would use on a baby kitten. A topical solution that is made for a kitten under 5 lbs. would be suitable in most cases. As with any health advice, we recommend consulting with your vet first.

«

• Harness and Lead • FerretFinder™ Collar and • FerretFinder™ Walking Vest • 8 Panel Ferret Play Pen »

Of course, we never recommend leaving your ferret alone while using any one of these products.

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NEWS FROM HQ

Beyond the craziness of CV19, I hope all of our friends in the ferret world are happy and healthy. We will continue to support you, your ferrets and your local pet stores. In fact, we hope you are on your way to a local pet store to buy another ferret!

Now back to business – let’s start out with the Bradley Caldwell Spring Classic that kicks off our show season. This year’s show was well attended and our sales were awesome (as reported by Sales Manager Tanya Cole). We love our partnership with BCI and always enjoy their shows.

Next was the 2020 Global Pet Expo held in sunny Orlando, Florida, at the end of February. The CV19 virus kept at least 100 vendors from manning their booths and contributed to an overall low attendance as many were afraid to travel. This year’s show started out like all others in the past — a hectic couple of days to get our booth built and stocked. This year we purchased a brand-new petter for our ferrets and they seemed to love it, as did our customers.

We are often asked from others displaying at the show, “What are you giving away?”

Our reply is always “Nothing but free ferret snuggles.” Our ferrets usually draw big crowds from people walking past. One of the little guys was a “reversed skunk,” which is a white ferret with a black line traveling down its back. This coloration of a ferret is rare, but we can usually get one for the larger shows throughout the year.

Our new products did very well again this year. For the fourth year in a row we have placed in the Small Animal Category of the GPE New Item Showcase. This year the 24” Ferret Swimming Pool won third. Our new ferret swimming pool is portable, collapsible, easy to assemble and can also be used as a bath tub or dig box. During product testing we posted many videos of the ferrets splashing in the pool on Facebook.

We typically would be getting our team ready for the next show — the Interzoo show in Germany, which has been postponed to a date TBD. Aside from travel, it is business as usual. It is all hands on deck to support our community of ferret families around the world right here from home.

That’s all for now! I just need to find my keys… where are those ferrets?

Paul

SPRING 2020 | 9

Ask a FERRET

My ferret keeps shaking his head. Does this mean he has ear mites?

Jake Sparks

One ferret in my business loves to gnaw on a glass bowl. Are there any benefits to this behavior?

Sonja Ramos I could not see how this can be good for her teeth, so I switched the bowl to a stainless steel bowl and she has stopped. However, she really enjoyed it and it got me thinking, are there any benefits to a ferret gnawing?

A

ferret does not have teeth that continue to grow and therefore does not need a gnaw toy like a rabbit.

That was smart to change the bowl out. Yes, there are certain materials and textures a ferret may develop a habit of gnawing on. Glass is not a common one, but no different than others in the world of ferrets.

Ferrets can develop damaged teeth due to abnormal gnawing habits and chewing inappropriate objects. This can cause a wearing of teeth, discoloration and breaking the enamel. Once the enamel on the tooth wears down or breaks, it can cause discomfort due to the pulp of the tooth being exposed.

If she misses gnawing on the bowl, try to encourage her behavior with safe chew toys. We recommend tough and durable fabric toys like rope knots made for small dogs or the variety of small fabric treasures you can find from Marshall. Hard plastic chew toys are questionable if they could deteriorate with use. Be conscious of potential hazards.

DID YOU KNOW? That it is hard to tell the correct age of a ferret. Vets look at a ferret’s teeth to estimate its correct age. Bright solid white canine teeth indicate a kit and yellowed translucent teeth belong to seniors.

I don’t see any bugs and he hasn’t been scratching, but I don’t know what else this could be.

My ferret keeps chewing the Velcro strips on our couch. Do you have any recommendations to get him to stop?

Heather Kennedy My ferret keeps climbing inside our recliner and won’t stop chewing the Velcro strips on the back of the couch. Is there a safe spray or any other recommendation to get him to stop?

THIS MAY BE EAR MITES! - Early in the infestation, you might not see any signs.

- Then you will notice head shaking or scratching.

- A thick, reddishbrown material will build up in the ear canal.

- You may also see hair loss and scabs where he’s been scratching.

TREAT YOUR FERRET - Keep your ferrets healthy with yearly physicals at the vet.

- Topical solutions for cats may be prescribed and should only be used under vet prescription and supervision.

- Keep your ferret’s ears clean and mite-free with Marshall Ear Cleaner Wash your ferret’s bedding and hammocks often during treatment to make sure all eggs are gone. All animals should be treated, as ear mites can infest all animals in the house.

They do not bother humans. We highly recommend having your ferret seen by a vet before taking any treatment plan.

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f you don’t want to barricade your recliner so that he doesn’t go up there, you can use a bitter deterrent spray like Marshall’s Time Out! This will help to condition the ferret to not chew those straps.

I also want to make you aware of the dangers that a recliner poses to a ferret. A lost, sleeping ferret could be harmed in a folding or unfolding recliner. As long as you are aware of where your ferret is at all times, then you will be fine. A bell collar or the FerretFinder™ can help to keep tabs on a roaming fuzzy.

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SPRING 2020 | 11

FERRET Bright-eyed whisker twitching trouble maker, Happy laugh-like sounds from down the hall, Stealing anything that meets your fancy, Fearing not a single thing at all!

Today you stole a matchbook and a pencil, Then you got the cover for my phone!

Anything that’s shiny, soft or rattles Soon becomes a ferret’s very own.

War dance backward on the sofa cushions, Tumble off the edge onto the floor!

Leap onto my foot since it was handy…

Wrestle with the fuzzy sock I wore.

Carpet creeper, furball, brat or toe-shark, Fuzzbutt, fert or sweetie honey dear…

Anything I call you means “I love you” And every day is brighter with you here!

By: Barbara McNamara

FERRET FAMILIES

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erret families come in all shapes and sizes. Some have lots of humans, some have other animal siblings, and some still are members of a large business. Families with large businesses are special.

They open their hearts and homes to a chaos only a ferret owner can love and appreciate. These stories from the #FerretMath requests on Facebook warm our hearts.

Seeing the strong human-ferret bond in each situation is why we love doing what we do!

JAMES and JERRICA DESJARDINS

O

ur first rescue was Daffodil.

Daffodil’s back story was that she was found abandoned in a house inside a heating duct. She was very skittish of people and apparently nipped at visitors to the Humane Society. The day that James and I met Daffodil, we honestly had no intentions of even getting another ferret. I remember, I was so excited to even see a ferret there! It was the first time I

have even seen one at the Humane Society.

I quickly called my husband over to look at Daffodil, and we both fell in love with her. James and I set up an appointment to bring in our three current ferrets so we could do a meet and greet with Daffodil.

The meet and greet went exceptionally well. Every one played, war danced and dooked to their heart’s content. When it came time to pack up and leave, we found Daffodil curled up and sleeping with her soon-to-be three new siblings.

We now have eight ferrets! Watching them play together brings us so much joy.

SPRING 2020 | 13

ALEXIS OAKS

I

am a repeat victim! I got my first ferret when I was 14. I begged my parents for over a year to get one and was surprised with him for Christmas that year. His name was Marvin (the Martian, of course) and he was a beautiful sable mask. About three months later my uncle, who was a fire fighter and owned a pretty little cinnamon girl named Speedy, and his wife separated. He had to move out of his house, and the wife did not want to keep Speedy. And, being a fire fighter, my uncle knew he wouldn’t have time for her, so she came to live with us, which made Marvin VERY happy. About a year later someone couldn’t keep their albino, Kane, and so there were three.

They lived long and healthy, happy lives and passed away one by one of old age. They were loved and will always be truly missed.

We got our girl, Trixie, just before Christmas two years ago, she’s just the tiniest thing I’ve ever seen and so sweet; she gets along with everyone. Around March that year I found Felix on the Animal Care and Control Facebook page and he needed a home. We went to just meet him and I fell in love BUT ... he was sooooo sick from being fed kitten caboodle at the animal shelter.

So the $25 ferret became a $500 ferret overnight. He is a very dark sable mask with an amazing personality and loves to give kisses.

Lastly, just before our wedding this year, I stopped into a Pet Supermarket to grab something, and there was the tiniest baby I had ever seen in a pet store. I don’t know what color to call him, but he looked like a possum. I knew I needed a third like I needed a hole in my head after having three and knowing what it meant to take care of them. But I held him and he snuggled into my arms and fell asleep. And then he went home with me. He’s now the largest of the three. So here we are, three ferrets again, all happy and healthy, a dog, a cat, an almost 9-year-old boy, and a baby due in two weeks! We are truly blessed!

KIMBERLY LYNN

I

had always wanted a ferret ever since I saw Beastmaster. Many years later I found Kodo. He was so wonderful I decided to get him a friend, Podo. From there I adopted one every six months ‘til I reached five fuzzbutts. Devastatingly, my Kodo left me on March 10th due to complications with urinary stones that blocked his urethra. The surgery failed and I had to say goodbye. My other babies are doing well and I’m looking forward to adopting a Kodo Jr. in the next couple of months. I don’t know what I’d do without these little troublemakers in my life.

NICOLE HELLER

I

am 21 and have eight ferrets. My ferrets have Alaska-themed names because I just love the state. So my boys are Kodiak, Denali, Yukon and Kenai and my girls are Klondike, Aurora, Glacier and Alaska. I got my first ferret when I was 16 years old.

He was given to me by a friend. I named him Piney. At the time I didn’t know much about ferrets, but I learned and I loved them. I only had Piney for a few years before I had to rehome him due to living situations, but once I got on my feet, I had to get more.

I never imagined having this many ferrets, but now that I do I couldn’t imagine it any different.

MELISSA ROSE-ROGERS

M

y 11 fur babies are the reason I smile every day. They’re the reason why I get upset when I have to leave for work and the reason why I fly home at the end of the day.

KRIS PEEK

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rescue ferrets and give them a forever home.

I have been rescuing for 20 years and have had 41 muffins over the years. The most I had at one time was 16.

PEGGY BUXTON

I

’ve had ferrets all of my life. I was ferretless for about a year after my Darla died. My daughter couldn’t stand to see me without a ferret so she bought me two.

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#FELFIEFRIDAY

Jess C. Styles Davey Garay Ashley Paisley

Diane Stephens

Danyel Soulier

Brittany Shaver

Bonnie Crouch

Jen Dailey

SPRING 2020 | 15

#FEATUREFERRETS KATIE MCDONALD

This is Fairy. I rescued her in May 2019. She loves her homemade hammocks and soon will be getting a sibling or two and a bigger cage!

NIKI LOANE

JESSICA FULLMER This is Blaze — the stinky slinky! We got him when he was 5 months and he will be 3 years in July. He’s a very sweet boy that loves his kid. They spend hours playing together. His favorite toy is a box — any kind of box. He also enjoys chasing the cat.

CARRIE HEART IZZY This is Oliver-Finley, Linus, Ollie, Stinky-Butt or Squishy. He’s a sweet but ornery little guy.

Our shih-tzu is his best friend. They run and play together. We’ve been teaching them to play nice. He loves chasing and playing with one of our cats, too. He loves his little turtle and pulls it with him to play. He’s PERFECT!

Dexter is a rare type of ferret. Since he was a baby, he has been a lap ferret. All he ever wants to do is cuddle and be held. He never gets far from my son, since little boys always have crumbs on them, and he thinks he is always starving

This is Ozzy, a female ferret my youngest son decided to impulse buy and left with us when he moved out. We’d never had a ferret before so we were kind of nervous at first, but she’s turned out to be so much fun and we love her so much! She plays with two dogs, two cats and likes to get into all of our stuff — especially my purse. She’s our little fuzzy slinky, and if she sees something of ours or the other animals that she likes, it’s hers. She also likes to sleep in my shirt while I’m still wearing it.

ANN KING

JENNIFER CALVO

This is Hime. She is almost 2 years old.

She likes to play with our two dogs, dig and sleep in her dig box, protect everyone from pool noodles, go explore outside in her travel backpack and play hide-and-seek.

Her favorite toy is Mr. Fish – a yellow and blue fish toy that goes with her in her travel backpack. She also hates baths.

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COVID-19 PETS + We hope that this message finds every one of our ferret families happy and healthy while we all do our very best to navigate through COVID-19. Throughout the current crisis, we have had an ongoing connection with the USDA, the CDC and the AVMA regarding the health of our pets, and we would like to share the following with all of you.

From a corporate standpoint, we are following all USDA and CDC guidelines that prevent the spread of this virus, which includes flexible scheduling with employees, social distancing measures, no travel or in-person vendor meetings, and frequent disinfecting and handwashing at the headquarters.

Within our breeding facility, we are following the same strict protocol that we do every year during the influenza season, which includes the mandatory use of masks, gloves and other PPE for all employees working directly with our ferrets.

As of the publication of this message, we have learned the following about COVID-19 and pets: • COVID-19 is largely a human-tohuman disease • All information from the USDA, the CDC and the AVMA suggests there is no evidence of COVID-19 spreading from animals to humans

• There is little to no evidence of naturally occurring infections with ferrets or other pets

• Veterinarians across the globe are not seeing pets, including ferrets, naturally infected with COVID-19

• There have been very few reported cases of any pets infected with COVID-19 globally

It is best practice to be vigilant about hand washing and disinfecting hygienic practices if you have a pet at home and are showing signs of COVID-19, influenza or the common cold. We recommend washing and disinfecting your hands before and after handling your pets, their food and other common areas. When you are handling your pets, you should wear a mask to avoid giving anything to your pets. More frequent washing of their bedding, toys and bowls is recommended at this time as well and done so to sanitary levels — also use hot water cycle for the washer, high heat settings in the dryer and anything that can go in the dishwasher.

The CDC and AVMA recommend if a pet owner is infected with COVID-19 they should keep their pets in their home with them and isolate other pets and people for 14 days.

It is recommended the infected owner should avoid contact with their pets during this time and have others in their home care for their pet as they recover.

I hope that the above points are helpful and useful to ease the concern of COVID-19 threats to ferrets and your other pets. Below are a couple of links that you can use to stay updated on COVID-19 and your pets. We wish you, your families, and above all, your pet ferrets, the very best through these difficult times, and we all look forward to much brighter days ahead. https://www.avma.org/resources-tools/animal-health-and-welfare/covid-19 https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/daily-life-coping/animals.html