Interview with Rissa Allen of FerretAttitude

Today I sat down with Rissa Allen, owner and moderator of FerretAttitude. She's with us to answer some questions about her community, and ferrets in general.
LC says:

You're one of the maintainers of FerretAttitude. That's a pretty big community. What is FerretAttitude?

RA says:

I'm the creator and owner. I set two trusted friends to be mods to help out with drama and membership approval. FerretAttitude is a large ferret community on LiveJournal.com.

LC says:

What do you like about being an owner/maintainer there?

RA says:

I like knowing that MOST of the time when people come to my community for help they ARE helped. I like knowing that when someone needs an important question answered it was my community that helped them.

LC says:

It seems like a busy place? How do you keep up?

RA says:

Well for the most part I can spend an hour online in the late evening checking posts, approving members if there are any. I have two good friends who help out with anything that I miss if I'm gone or unable to check the community for a few days.

LC says:

You mentioned drama. For the most part, is FerretAttitude a friendly community?

RA says:

Oh yes. Though I'll have to warn anyone who posts to the community with anything that's neglegtful or pictures that show nasty living conditions or unsafe situations. FerretAttitude is not there to coddle your feelings. We're in it for the ferrets. Again though, for the most part we're a big happy family.

LC says:

I noticed a lot of people talking about "weez wear". What is that?

RA says:

Weez_Wear! Weez_wear is my favorite community to advertise. My friend Rachael fell in love with Toad and started making ferret clothes for him just to see if she could. They took off and people loved them. From ferret clothes she moved onto bedding. Bedding sets of all types and shapes and prices. Her stuff is VERY high quality, better than the store bought stuff I've purchased in the past. Weez_wear is FA's official ferret bedding supplier and she donates lots of bedding, hammocks, sleepy sacks, and blankets to ferret shelters.

I allow other ferret crafty people to advertise in FA, but my heart is in Weez_Wear.

LC says:

So you have other business owners in the community?

RA says:

Oh yeah, I can think of three very talented women who also make hand crafted ferret bedding and sell. Good stuff from them too. I believe there is even a nice lady from the UK who makes crochet ferret toys for UKers. Shipping prices are high, so she does it for the other side of the pond.

LC says:

That's great!

You've described your community as "very ADV aware". What is ADV?

RA says:

ADV is often compared to HIV in humans. It's contagious, it's incurable and it's just not something you want to fool around with. I'll link to the ADV FAQ which is posted in our extensive ADV links list on our user info. The owner of this site is actually a member of FA. http://ferretadv.com/faq.html

LC says:

Thank you for that information. You also state that your community is pro "raw diets". What's that?

Toots says:

Meat meat meat! Ferrets are obligate carnivores. A lot of people are shocked and appalled when they find out their cute cuddly little Bandit is a predator. A meat eating predator. FA likes to encourage the understanding of ferrets nutritional needs.

LC says:

Do you need a livejournal account to read or be a member of FerretAttitude?

RA says:

You need a live journal account to be a member, yes. However you can read unlocked posts in the community but you cannot comment. Live Journal is a free blogging community and it's quick to register.

LC says:

So, why the interest in ferrets?

RA says:

It's funny, I used to think they were gross smelly things. I'd see them in pet shops jam packed into tanks and get grossed out. One day I got a Doctor Fosters and Smith catalog in the mail and there was one tiny picture of a white ferret in a harness and I just fell in love. Ran to a pet shop a week later and got my first impulse buy ferret before I knew a thing about them.

LC says:

So you own ferrets?

RA says:

Yes, I've currently got two ferrets.

LC says:

Can you tell my readers a bit about them?

RA says:

Toad is my sickly four year old DEW (dark eyed white). He's a Marshall's Ferret Mill bred ferret. My first ferret ever, the one I mentioned I impulse-bought. He's been with me through thick and thin. Roland is a year and a half old dark nose, I fondly call him Shortbus. He's sweet, but not too bright.

LC says:

*laughs*

You mentioned you didn't know much about them before you jumped in. What are the top 3 things someone should know before committing to ferret ownership?

RA says:

What do they eat! I cannot tell you how many times I've seen someone go out and buy a ferret THEN ask "What do they eat?" I think it's also VERY important to understand the health problems and the COSTS involved in owning a ferret. I think the third would be fully understanding WHAT ferret proofing means.

LC says:

What DOES ferret proofing mean?

RA says:

It means getting on the floor and looking at everything from ferret level. Making sure there is no cracks, holes or crevices a ferret could wiggle their way into and become lost, hurt or get killed. They can squeeze into the smallest places. It's like baby proofing your house, only for something that can jump well, climb like an expert and even attempt to fly.

LC says:

Sounds like a handful! Back on track, can you tell me a bit about ferret shelters?

RA says:

Ferrets shelters are just like dog and cat shelters only without the recognition, support, and funding. They take in unwanted, lost and found or dumped ferrets. Often rehabilitate them and then adopt them out.

LC says:

Now, people can go through a shelter or a breeder to find ferrets. Is it hard to find a good breeder?

RA says:

It is hard to find a good breeder. They're far and few in between.

LC says:

You mentioned Toad was from a mill. What is the problem with ferrets from mills or farms?

Toots says:

Ferret mills are just like puppy mills. They mass produce ferrets to sell. Not because they love ferrets but for the money. More ferrets = more money. Marshals Ferret Mill breeds their jills year round. I don't even want to know what they do with jills and hobs that are too worn out to continue breeding. They spay and neuter their kits at three weeks old and a week later throw them in a box and ship them off to a pet store. No thought goes into genetics.

When you factor all that in you'll find most of their ferrets are smaller than privately bred ferrets.

You'll also find they don't live as long. Six to eight years is average for a mill ferret where as I've seen a privatly bred ferret NOT fixed at three weeks old live till he was 12.

I won't get into too much here about the health issues because I would be going on for the rest of the week. I will mention from my own personal experience. Toad's a Marshal's Ferret Mill ferret. He was dead sick when I got him too young to be from his mother. I almost lost him many times and spent a lot of time in an Animal ER hospital at two in the morning. He had a stomach full of ulcers at four weeks old as well as Helicobacter.

I've had Toad for four years and it's been four years of regular vet trips because he's always sick. Of course this isn't EVERYONES experience but it's been mine. On the same note, I've had Roland for a year and he's also a mill ferret and he's never sick. It's a toss up. Mill ferrets are also more likely to get Adrenal Gland Disease as well. http://miamiferret.org/fhc/basics.htm

LC says:

So would you recommend purchasing a ferret at a pet store?

RA says:

No I wouldn't. I'd recommend finding a ferret shelter first. See about adopting. Ferrets shelters are ALWAYS full. Even MORESO after the holidays.

LC says:

I've noticed that many ferret owners seem to own more than one ferret. Is there an advantage to owning more than one?

RA says:

Yes, for the most part ferrets do better with a pal. They're social creatures and thrive off each other. Some ferrets (just like people) just don't get along well with other ferrets and will depend on their human to enrich their lives. Having more than one ferret will allow them to keep each other company while you are away at work or unable to play with them. A lot of people say three is the magic number. That way if one passes on there are still two left to keep each other company.

A lot of people claim they're like potato chips too, you just can't stop. It's often called Ferret Math

I like to remind people about how expensive their ferret chips are as they go from one ferret to six ferrets over night. I just like to remind people that each ferret means more poop, more food and MORE medical bills. It really adds up.

LC says:

You've mentioned health concerns a few times. Are there any ferret health concerns people should research before purchasing a ferret?

RA says:

Oh yes. There are LOTS actually. So many it's kind of sad and actually scares people away. There are also the people who like to close their eyes and pretend it won't happen to them. I could go on for hours about healh issues from Adrenal Glad Disease to Insulinoma. This site here is often a resource I give people. I tell them to read this and read it good. http://miamiferret.org/fhc/

I also tell them to be sure to FIND A VET first. Find a FERRET experienced and knowledgeable about exotics vet before you go and grab a ferret from a pet store or a shelter.

Habibe says:

Speaking of vets, should you make sure your ferrets are spayed or neutered?

RA says:

Typically ferrets from pet stores or ferrets in shelters (which are usually FROM pet stores too!) are already fixed since they're coming from mills that fix their ferrets at three weeks old. It's a preference, I personally have always wanted a whole hob. Females need special care though, and will need a shot from a vet to take her out of heat if she's left unfixed. Most breeders I've ever talked to have you sign a paper agreeing to fix your ferret within a year or something close to that.

LC says:

Ferrets are considered an exotic pet. Are there ferrets in the wild?

RA says:

There are Black Footed Ferrets in the wild. They are on the Endangered Animal list. There are also polecats in the wild that look much like dark sable ferrets you see in pet stores.

LC says:

Is it true that domestic ferrets are so domesticated that they can't survive in the wild?

RA says:

I think so! I think they're just too darn goofy. That's just MY opinion though. I know someone personally who had their ferret escape and then was found 11 days later. That's like a once in a lifetime thing.

LC says:

Now you knew this was coming...are ferrets rodents?

RA says:

No! Haha, that's one of the BIGGEST pet peeves in ANY ferret owner. Ferrets are not rodents. They are mustlids. They have meat ripping fangs not big rodent teeth in the front. "They EAT rodents," I often tell people who claim Toad MUST be a rat.

Their fancy latin name is Mustela putorius furo.

LC says:

So are there other misconceptions about ferrets?

RA says:

The " EWW horrible stink". That's another HUGE peeve in ferret owners.

LC says:

You can get their scent glands removed, right?

Toots says:

Oh yes, in those mill ferrets those scent glands in males are removed when they're fixed at three weeks. The

scent gland REALLY has nothing to do with their smell anyway. When they are older and go into rut you'll smell their hob smell. If they've got their glands and get SCARED they'll "poof" a term used for ferrets who express their glands. Really though in your average pet store de-scented ferret their diet and living arrangements make all the difference in smell.

LC says:

Is the smell really a big deal?

RA says:

Ferrets like any pet have a pet odor. I personally like ferrets light musky odor. They stink in the Pet Shops because they're crammed into tanks that are not cleaned the way they should. Proper diet plays a huge part in ferret smell. High Quality food, UNLIKE the pet store pushed Marshals Kibble will reduce ferrrets' smell greatly. A clean cage with regularly washed hammocks will also play a part in ferret smell. When people come over to my house they don't even believe i have ferrets till they see the bedroom I have dedicated to them.

LC says:

Thank you for taking the time to answer my questions. That's about all I have. Is there anything else you'd like to add?

RA says:

I'd like to add that ferrets are wonderful pets but for the right people. Just do your research and there is a LOT of helpful stuff out there. Fully understand what you're getting yourself into and please don't give up on a trouble ferret. He won't give up on you.

For more information on FerretAttitude and ferrets, please feel free to head on over to the FerretAttitude community on Livejournal.