From:
"kblausman"
Date: 2008-03-03 03:42:47 UTC
Subject: [ferrethealth] Re: Outdoor playing for health.
To: ferrethealth@yahoogroups.com
I got a brown recluse bite years ago and I know what both it and the
black widow look like, because I was told by my doctor if I ever got
another spider bite (because of my allegeries) I could most likely
die. So I watch for them VERY closely. We have never seen either
near our home here, inside or out. But then again when I got bit I
got bit inside the house, so it was not the great outdoors that
caused the problem then. What do those that have the ferrets indoors
all the time do about spiders and bad bugs? They can have spiders
just as well in the house and there are a lot more dark, hidden
corners in a house than in the outdoors. You can not spray bug sprays
indoors with the ferrets either, so how do you make sure that you
never have a spider? In fact we must not have enough good buggy food
for spiders here, because I have seen only a couple common garden
ones, maybe because of the house geckos we have here, I bought some
in during the winter and let them winter with my plants and they
catch any little buggies outside...
As for distemper, it most certainly can live in the dirt or even in
your carpet, in old bedding, cages, food bowls, toys, ect.. for a
long time... So it should be a worry for any house hold that has ever
had an animals die from distemper. Something that I have never had
happen, because I never kept animals that did not have all of their
shots...Period, end of story.
But even without that, no dogs or other animals have lived here in 10
years, my husband never had pets before we married. I also make sure
that my animals are up to date on all of their shots and when the
status is unknown, I opt for the complete series if there is any
question. I sold both of my houses when we married and we moved into
his, so I know the complete history of animals in and out of
here...ZERO
We have a HUGE lawn, but we enclosed only one quarter of it. In fact
we were laughing up a storm, because the smallest area of our big
lawn now has a swing, a chair and a hammock in it. And the kids have
made use of them all for snuggling, sleeping and lap sitting.
As for the fence, we buried 2 x 8 boards half way down on the inside
of the fence, because the back side of the board fence, already had
runners made of 2 x 4 on the their side, and then on the one end of
the yard we put runners on the inside buried and on the inside gate
we put cemment under the gate, then buried dirt over it and on the
outside of it, another 2 x 8 buried kick board. We did this so that
they can dig and play...My brother is a great builder and he and my
husband did a great job, making sure that it was secure here, and
then that fence is inside of the main fence... and one side here is a
brick wall... So as far as a prison, well it is safe. We have no
bushes inside this part of the yard, nor trees, nor anything remotely
interesting to snakes or other critters to want to stay for.
We are very careful and we watch them the whole time we are out, no
one is ever left out alone, not for one single minute.
After the way I saw them play, the way they eat after the exercise,
the way their coats are thicker, they way they fill out, I know that
outdoor play is good for them...I can not believe that recirclated,
canned air that most households have, could in anyway be better? Even
inside we have an air purifier for their room and the living room. I
had my brother install a ceiling fan to make sure their air was
circulating and cool. We have taken every precaution to make sure
they are healthy and I have asked a million questions and we have
bought no less than 10 books on ferrets, including not one, but 2 vet
books. I do think we are trying to do the best for them and there is
no way anyone will be able to make me believe that our ferrets are
not benefitting from outdoor time.
We even wait until the sun is on the other side of the house to take
them out, so that the side we built on, is in almost complete
shade...
I know that some people can not offer their pets the out doors
safely, if they live in an apartment, a trailer park, or in an area
full of snakes, in thr desert heat, or where all they have is
blacktop to walk on, but when you can offer it and you can do it
safely, why should we not do it?
Kendra
Bianca, Bo and Gus
--- In ferrethealth@yahoogroups.com, "sandra robinson"
<fuzzyslave1@...> wrote:
>
> My biggest concerns would be spiders. AL has both black
> widow & brown recluse.
>
> And distemper lives in the soils for years to come.
>
>
> Sandi
> Heaven Scent Ferret Rescue/Shelter
>
> fuzzyslave1@...
> Dothan,Al
>
> 334-899-7967
> Its nice to be important,but its more important to be nice
>
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