HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: fritz@ben.dev.upenn.edu (Katie Fritz)
Newsgroups: rec.pets
Subject: Re: Acquiring a Ferret
Date: 8 Sep 92 17:51:21 GMT
Organization: University of Pennsylvania

In article <2798448518@times.aux.apple.com> eriks@apple.com writes:
>I live in California and have been told by a pet store that Ferrets are 
>illegal here.  I would love to get one and was wondering if anyone knows 
>the easiest way for me to get one, and why they're illegal at all.  Also, 

Ferrets are indeed illegal in California.  The reason is mainly due to
certain people in positions of power in the state who are violently
opposed to the idea of ferrets as pets.  In other words, ferrets are illegal
in California for completely bogus reasons.  Not being a California resident,
I don't know what the easiest way for you to get one would be, but you
would be running a risk of confiscation and possible destruction of your
ferret, were you to acquire one.

There are people in California who do have pet ferrets despite the risk.
I do not know how to put you in touch with them, nor would I if I could
(nothing personal, but I don't know you).  Your best bet would be to get
in touch with the California Domestic Ferret Association, a group that
is actively involved in trying to legalize ferret ownership in the state.
I don't have the address handy, but I could get it for you, if you like.

>if I were to get one, would I be able to find all the neccessary supplies 
>for it here?  Someone had mentioned that they are legal in Oregon.  If 
>that is true, I could drive up there one weekend and get one right?  

Yes, you could get the necessary supplies for a ferret in California.
The hardest thing probably would be finding a vet in California willing
to treat your ferret.  There are many that do, but there are others
who might refuse rather than run afoul of the law.  Not to mention the
possibility of their turning your ferret in (Not a flame of California
vets, just a possibility).

I believe they are legal in Oregon, but if you drove up one weekend
& got one, you would run the risk of possibly having your new ferret
confiscated at the border.  Think very seriously about this before
you take this step.

Let me know if you want the address of the California Domestic Ferret
Association.  Good luck to you.  
-- 
   Katie Fritz --Internet: fritz@ben.dev.upenn.edu -- CompuServe: 71257,3153
"From what I hear Earth is a podunk little place but they make great pastrami."
         -- Graetwist, "Roadways" #1, Comic Zone Publishing
              --Penn is not Penn State and I am neither--
Newsgroups: rec.pets
From: rhuls@liebnitz.ssd.kodak.com (Robbin Huls)
Subject: Re: Dogs/Cats in yard:Question...
Organization: Eastman Kodak
Date: Tue, 8 Sep 92 18:51:33 GMT

In article <92248.33587.LJ03933@LMSC5.IS.LMSC.LOCKHEED.COM> LJ03933@LMSC5.IS.LMSC.LOCKHEED.COM writes:
>A friend of mine has been having a problem with neighborhood
>dogs and cats coming into his yard to 'do their business'.
>
>(I live in an apartment and occasionally splash some
>ammonia along the patio edge and in the carport. I've
>heard this is not supposed to work, but it does for me.
>Can't be splashing ammonia about on a lawn though|)

Ammonia is a component of urine.  That's why you're not supposed to use
it to clean up "accidents".  To neutralize it, use white vinegar on the
spot.  I don't think splashing either one around your lawn/garden would
be too healthy for the plants, though.

There do exist products that can be placed/sprayed in areas where you
want to deter different kinds of animals.

On a somewhat related topic, I have been spreading ferret poops, used
litter, and old bedding along my back fence and it looks like the rats
have moved out of my rock garden.  I did see something that looked like
a baby rat in my neighbor's yard the other night :-(

Robbin
Newsgroups: rec.pets
From: gsouth@genome.wi.edu (Genome South user)
Subject: Re: Hermit Crabs
Organization: Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research
Distribution: usa
Date: Fri, 11 Sep 1992 12:29:08 GMT

>Are there any people out there that own hermit crabs for pets? If so, please
>give me a holler.

I kept a few hermit crabs as a teenager.  Get two or more, but if you
do get two, and one dies, then introduce them both to a new cage
at the same time.  One of mine died, and when I got a new second
hermit crab, the first one would kill it. I guess they're territorial.
Also, keep some extra empty shells around of a slightly larger size.
The crabs will come out at night when it;s quiet and try them on.
It's pretty funny.

jcmill@eagle.mit.edu
From: philipm@papillon.ucsd.edu (The Philster)
Newsgroups: rec.pets
Subject: Snake Shedding
Date: 9 Sep 92 22:17:47 GMT
Organization: DIP Laboratory, UCSD/SIO, La Jolla CA, USA
NNTP-Posting-Host: papillon.ucsd.edu


Hello again...I wanted to know how long does it take for a 1 and half foot
python to shed its skin? Mine has been inactive for about 2 weeks (no, he's
not dead), and I've read that too moist of an environment can hinder shedding.

Help, please...


Phil
Newsgroups: rec.pets
From: sstockw11@cc.swarthmore.edu (Sarah Stockwell)
Subject: Re: ferret 9 lives?
Organization: Swarthmore College
Date: Tue, 15 Sep 1992 04:46:40 GMT

My ferret Miniver slipped out the door to my dorm room at the end of last
year while I was moving out boxes.  She escaped about four hours before my
plane to San Diego (from PA) was scheduled to leave.  I spent frantic hours
looking for her, barely caught my plane, and alerted the housekeepers and
maintenance workers in the building to her missing status and left my phone
number.  I despaired and was miserable for three days, until I got a phone
call at 6 am from the housekeeper: an electrician had found her!  She had a
tick on her face, so she must have gotten outside and then come back in for
the food and water I had my friend leave for her.  A friend at school
picked her up, and then a frantic call to Nancy Hartman assured her lodging
for the summer.  

***THREE CHEERS FOR NANCY!!!  THANK YOU AGAIN!!!***

I picked her up from Nancy about a week and a half ago, and she is
adjusting well to being back home with me.  And mostly litter-trained to
boot!  Now I double- and triple-check for the little beastie every time I
go in or out the door, and cage her if I'm going to have the door open for
any sustained period of time.  A warning to all owners of ferrets who yearn
to explore the great wide world, and a story with a happy ending.

--Sarah   



Newsgroups: rec.pets
From: myhui@bnr.ca (Michael Hui)
Subject: Forehead Presses: a new way to interact with our Bun
Organization: Bell-Northern Research Ltd., Ottawa, Canada
Date: Mon, 07 Sep 92 14:15:26 GMT

Just press your forehead against the Bun's forehead. Simple.

(c) 1992   Michael MY Hui   myhui@bnr.ca    Ottawa Canada
Newsgroups: rec.pets
From: khartman@fnalf.fnal.gov
Subject: Protect your cords from Bunny.
Organization: Fermi National Accelerator Lab
Date: Tue, 8 Sep 1992 13:22:28 GMT
X-Posted-From: fnalf.fnal.gov
X-Posted-Through: sol.ctr.columbia.edu

Hi Everyone,

	Here is something that you rabbit owners might try to save your
extension cords, not to mention your bunnies.  Get some vinyl tubing from
the hardware store, and carefully split it lengthwise.  Enclose the cord(s)
in the tubing, and I'll bet Bun won't touch it.  My Bun has not touched any
of my cords since I "rabbit proofed" my apartment.  A friend taught me this
trick.  Apparently, the vinyl smell is disagreeable to rabbits.  BTW, my
Bun hardly notices the bitter apple spray.  Maybe someone will come up with
vinyl spray!


						Regards,
					      Ken Hartman
From: PXF3@psuvm.psu.edu
Newsgroups: rec.pets
Subject: Mouse eye problem
Date: 10 Sep 92 02:17:32 GMT
Organization: Penn State University

My mouse Hickory has a raw sore on her lower eyelid.  Her ears also seem
like they have a sort of rash, and she itches often.  One of her daughters
died after having a similar eye problem for which the vet gave her an
antibiotic ointment, so I'm very concerned about Hickory.  Does anyone have
any experience with such a problem?  Any suggestions?  Could mites be a
possibility?  If so, how would one treat the aquarium to get rid of them
without dosing the mouse with lethal chemicals?

Pertinent facts: Hickory is a silky mouse and is 1.5 years old.

If you want to bond with your mouse, try putting ointment in her eye three
times a day!

Thanks for any help,

Paula
Newsgroups: rec.pets
From: myhui@bnr.ca (Michael Hui)
Subject: Re: Bunny w/ watery eye
Organization: Bell-Northern Research Ltd., Ottawa, Canada
Date: Sat, 05 Sep 92 01:52:05 GMT

Sigh ... the BBBBB (big black bouncy baby bunny) I rescued from an
ignorant human keeper had a severe case of this when I got him, and
I've nursed him back to only a vestigial case of runny eyes. A visit to
the vet revealed that it's an infection that has been there for a long
time, so although the vet did prescribe a solution for me to drop into
his eye, there is little hope that the infection will completely heal.

The vet first prescribed Rogar-Mycine's Chloramphenicol Sterile
Ophthalmic Ointment, 1.0%, a thick gell. That was unsuitable, since
it's hard enough trying to peel back the Bun's eyelids, and a thick
gell has no chance of making it into the space between the eyelids and
the eye, and when it does make it in there, the stuff must really
sting, since the Bun absolutely hit the roof and went running away,
kicking his hind legs in disgust. That just broke my heart ...

So now the vet has prescribed a clear liquid, V-Sporin by
Coopers Agropharm Inc. The instructions says it's suitable for both
the eye and ears. I really wonder just what type of animal's eyes
can withstand this stuff. I haven't administered to the Bun yet,
seeing that his eye condition has become a lot better, and the discharge
is really minimal now, sometimes none at all for a day or so.

I'd sure like to hear informed opinion on how suitable these medication
are for rabbits, and whether they may be too strong for the very
delicate rabbit eye chemistry.

Meanwhile, the Bun is looking at me with his huge brown eyes (albeit one
eye at a time :-) and I'd sure do anything I can do help this Bun keep
his set of good eyes till he dies.

<< Hug Them. Don't Eat Them !! >>

Michael MY Hui          myhui@bnr.ca           Ottawa Canada
Newsgroups: rec.pets
From: distef@milton.u.washington.edu (Sandra Distefano)
Subject: Re: Boy does this mouse stink!
Organization: University of Washington
Date: Mon, 7 Sep 1992 20:03:29 GMT

jbyrd@chpc.utexas.edu (Jan Byrd) writes:

>    - is it commonly known that mice smell so much worse than all these 
>      other little critters (if so, the pet department of WalMart cer-
>      tainly didn't impart that to us)?  

>Jan

Yes.  

Hopefully someone else knows how to lessen the smell.

Sandra
distef@u.washington.edu
From: Catherine.La.Touche@dartmouth.edu (Catherine La Touche)
Newsgroups: rec.pets
Subject: guinea pigs-cont.
Date: 8 Sep 92 17:04:24 GMT
Organization: Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH

Sorry, Don Taylor, I should have listed my own e-mail address.
Catherine.La.Touche@dartmouth.edu
From: beckers@quip.eecs.umich.edu (Becki Kain)
Newsgroups: rec.pets
Subject: ferrets in norway
Date: 15 Sep 92 00:27:49 GMT
Distribution: rec
Organization: University of Michigan EECS Dept., Ann Arbor

Hi all - are ferrets legal in Norway?  I may be temporarily there (one year)
and I have to know before I say yes to a job.

thank you

beckers
and tavi tigger (cats) sephus nero escher tieke (ferrets)
From: Catherine.La.Touche@dartmouth.edu (Catherine La Touche)
Newsgroups: rec.pets
Subject: Guinea Pigs
Date: 8 Sep 92 13:44:18 GMT
Organization: Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH

I am trying to reply to Don Taylor about his inquiry concerning his
friend's guinea pig.  I can't get the e-mail address he listed to work.
From: larry@angel.UUCP (Larry Tenbush)
Newsgroups: rec.pets
Subject: Re: Snake Shedding
Date: 10 Sep 92 18:57:11 GMT
Organization: Angel's Retreat - San Antonio, Texas

From article <18lt6bINN58h@network.ucsd.edu>, by philipm@papillon.ucsd.edu (The Philster):
> 
> Hello again...I wanted to know how long does it take for a 1 and half foot
> python to shed its skin? Mine has been inactive for about 2 weeks (no, he's
> not dead), and I've read that too moist of an environment can hinder shedding.
> 
> Help, please...
> 
> 
> Phil


An environment being to dry can also hinder shedding.  You need to keep 
misting the snake each day.  Also, have a rock or branch in the cage so the
snake can use the rough surface to start shedding.  The best way would be to
put the snake in a hot humid environment for about one or two hours a day.

Good Luck,
Larry

-- 
WHOAMI: Larry "Bear" Tenbush 
  CITY: San Antonio, Texas  78230
 SMART: larry@angel.ucm.org
  BANG: ....!cs.utexas.edu!swrinde!dptspd!ephsa.ucm.org!angel.ucm.org!larry
From: dennice@slacvm.slac.stanford.edu (Dennice)
Newsgroups: rec.pets
Subject: ROTTWEILER**** SOLD!
Date: 11 Sep 92 22:03:33 GMT
Followup-To: rec.pets
Organization: Slac

ROTTWEILER SOLD!!!!!!!!!!!
Newsgroups: rec.pets
Subject: Re: Hermit Crabs
From: nathan@charles.ucdavis.edu (Nathan Rollins)
Date: 11 Sep 92 06:56:30 GMT
Organization: Bohemian Inebriation Association

In article <5v6ycwn@rpi.edu> schwae@barh1a.its.rpi.edu (Eric A. Schwartz) writes:
>In article <1992Sep10.211540.1@vms.ucc.okstate.edu> v923106@vms.ucc.okstate.edu writes:
>>Are there any people out there that own hermit crabs for pets? If so, please
>>give me a holler.
>>
>I used to.  
>
>E.S.

 Me too.
From: pruett@CS.ColoState.EDU (J. L. Pruett)
Newsgroups: rec.pets
Subject: cat goes to old house!
Date: 9 Sep 92 19:12:35 GMT
Organization: Colorado State University, Computer Science Department

I have friends who just moved to a new house from an apartment in a house.
The problem is that the cat keeps going to the old place. They've only been
there a week, and last night Moose (a great cat), was found at the old
place. It's only 3 blocks away or so, but there is a very busy street he
has to cross to get there, and it worries my friends. Moose is about 9,
the new house has a huge backyard, and Moose is now spending his days 
locked in the house.  

Any suggestions on how to get him to stay home?
thanks
Newsgroups: rec.pets
From: rigg@ssdt-tempe.sps.mot.com (Dana Rigg)
Subject: Re: ferret 9 lives ?
Reply-To: rigg@ssdt-tempe.sps.mot.com
Organization: Motorola, Inc.
Date: Mon, 14 Sep 1992 22:00:46 GMT

In article 28200@geppetto.encore.com, blaraway@geppetto.encore.com (Brad Laraway) writes:
>	Do ferrets have nine lives?  My ferret Sebastian does!
>	Saturday night he found a small hole in my sisters screaned
>	pourch. Third floor Condo.  He was missing for almost tweeve
>	hours.  Found him in the laundery room un harmed and hungry.
>
>	Took him to the vet. this morning and got a clean bill of 
>	health.  Thank God or who ever watched over him.  Any one
>	out there have any stories like this.  Only happy endings
>	please.
>
>	Brad.
>
>	Owned by Sabastian and Mako



I had a cat several years ago that would disappear for weeks at a time.
The first time she left, I went door to door in the neighborhood and 
posted missing signs, getting no response.  She strolled back home
one day, about three weeks later.  She wasn't hungry or ratty looking
(a little thinner than when she left by not skinny; just leaner),
nor did she even appear to be excited, as she would be if she had been
lost and miraculously found her way back.

This became a common occurrence.  The longest she was ever gone was
six weeks.  I never found out where she went or what she did.  I did find
her once (purely by chance) wandering the streets about 5 miles from
home.  I never heard of another cat with such a large roaming territory
or such long periods away from home.  If she stayed with somebody else,
there were never any signs of it (collar, missing cat posters, etc).
She was a capable hunter and, being the proud father, I always assumed that
she simply took care of herself.

Dana Rigg


Newsgroups: rec.pets
From: hartman@dewey.udel.edu (Nancy Hartman)
Subject: Re: ALERT - Rabies in NC (Durham County)
Organization: University of Delaware, Newark
Distribution: usa
Date: Thu, 10 Sep 1992 03:38:37 GMT

In article <18ln45INNant@matt.ksu.ksu.edu> rdmiller@matt.ksu.ksu.edu (Ruth D Miller) writes:

>For those interested, there's work being done now on oral rabies vaccines
>to be administered to wild animals thru bait.  A successful program in
>Europe has nearly eradicted rabies from the fox population.  Unfortunately
>an effective bait for raccoons and skunks hasn't been developed yet. (Data
>from article in last American Scientist.)

It will be interesting to see if this is adopted in the USA.  Right now
one of the problems that ferrets are facing is that it is illegal to 
vaccinate "wild" (ferrets have never been wild!) animals.  I don't know
if that is a national law or state by state, but I know of at least one
vet who was arrested for vaccinating a ferret not too long ago (I think
it was in one of the Carolinas, actually).

Personally, I can't think of any justification for such a law.  I think
its a good idea to vaccinate wild animals.  I would think that a better 
law would be that all wild animals that for some reason are captured/
brough in to a shelter/etc should *HAVE* to be vaccinated (if there is a
safe vaccine, of course).  I don't know about going out and actively 
capturing the animals for vaccinations, but even that would be better
than having them all die of an epidemic.

- Nancy

-- 
Nancy Hartman					CIS graduate student
hartman@udel.edu				U. of Delaware
        President and founder, Delaware Valley Ferret Club
                      Owner of Percy & Bree
Newsgroups: rec.pets
From: wolflovr@polari.online.com
Subject: Dog Food
Keywords: comparison
Organization: Seattle Online Public Access Unix.  (206) 328-4944 (all lines telebit-equipped)
Date: Sun, 6 Sep 1992 15:33:25 GMT

.I am looking for a comparison of the different dog foods.  Every
time I find one it is printed by the company.  Any ideas...
Consumer Reports does not seem to have done one or I missed it.
The brands I would like compared are IAMS, Purina, Sci Diet.
BTW I have a Rottweiler.


.

:wq
From: kjt34420@uxa.cso.uiuc.edu (Kristin J. Thommes)
Newsgroups: rec.pets
Subject: Re: Bunny w/ watery eye
Date: 4 Sep 92 21:16:18 GMT
Article-I.D.: news.Bu2oF7.KFp
Distribution: usa
Organization: University of Illinois at Urbana

hill@madrone.eecs.ucdavis.edu (Rich Hill) writes:

>Our newest addition (9 week old Netherland Dwarf) has recently developed a 
>rather watery left eye.  There doesn't seem to be anything else wrong but we
>don't know much about these things yet so we aren't sure if this is a minor
>thing or a major concern.  The eye is open as normal and the discharge is 
>clear.  She doesn't seem to favor it.  Could this be something as simple as
>something that got in her eye to irritate it or could it be something worse?
>We first noticed the problem yesterday afternoon.

>thanks

>Rich

Yes, it could be something as simple as something being in her eye,
but it is more likely that it would be some sort of upper respiratory
disease that is causing her eye to water.  Because rabbits do not have
the same innervation in their eyes as we do, when they get something
small, like a piece of hair or fur, in their eye, they usually don't
water and the fur will just stay they until it is inadvertently 
rubbed out or is washed out with eyewash solution.  This is actually
a pretty common problem, especially in older rabbits, because if the 
owner doesn't notice that the fur is sitting on their cornea, it can
irritate the eye enough that the cornea will ulcerate.  If you can't
see anything visibly, then it is also possible that she has something 
caught underneath her third eyelid.  (rabbits have another eyelid in
addition to the top and bottom ones, and it runs across the eye from
the inner to the outer corner.  Humans have the vestigial remnant of this,
it is that pink thing in the corner of our eye.)  If she has
something under the third eyelid, the only way to find out for sure 
is to have your vet put a local anesthetic in her eye and use a forceps
to pull the eyelid out and look under it.

Of course, if her other eye starts to water too, it could be that she
is sensitive to some airborne molecules like the dust from cedar
shavings.

You can try washing out the eye with a sterile saline solution to see if
you can wash anything out and make her more comfy.  But if that doesn't
help, I would definitely try and have the vet look at it to see what's
wrong.

-- 
Newsgroups: rec.pets.birds
From: dougnews@access.digex.com (Doug Humphrey)
Subject: Re: Bird Bathing
Organization: Express Access Online Communications, Greenbelt, Maryland USA
Date: Sun, 13 Sep 1992 21:20:17 GMT

In article <1992Sep13.201031.14495@ra.msstate.edu> mrr1@Ra.MsState.Edu writes:
>
>     I have a Quaker who has decided he (it?) likes to take showers with
>me (mainly sits on my head - I like it hotter than he does)   
>He gets quite wet sometimes and I was wondering if I had to worry about 
>the bird equivalent to "catching a cold".
>
>Do I need to worry about how dry he is before he goes to the rest of the
>air conditioned house?

I would worry about it, yes.  The Umbrella Cockatoo that I care
for likes showers OK but thinks that the blow dryer is supreme
fun; pretends like she is flying in the wind!  You have to be careful
not to burn them with it, but you also should have it so that the 
air is really warm when it hits the bird; remember that they have
high body temps, and you don't want to cause a sudden chill by 
evaporative cooling!  

Oh, yeah.  If they are not that keen on the shower part, clip the
talons BEFORE trying to get them real wet.  I made this mistake 
with a big (BIG) Macaw once and have all sorts of fun marks to 
remind me of it...

Doug (and Shiro!)

-- 
Doug Humphrey              doug@access.digex.com               +1 301 220 2020
Digital Express Group, 6006 Greenbelt Road #228, Greenbelt, Maryland 20770 USA
Express Access Online Communications for Washington/Baltimore:  info@digex.com
       Login as "new": Washington 301-220-0462, Baltimore 410-766-1855
From: cb14@prism.gatech (Debbie Bragg)
Newsgroups: rec.pets.birds
Subject: Deformed beak
Date: 15 Sep 92 19:41:55 GMT
Distribution: usa
Organization: GTRI

The baby (Dixie) holds his top beak in his lower beak, instead of the top 
laying over the bottom.  
Has anyone ever seen this before?  
Do they out grow it as they get older?  
If not will they have problems?

We took Dixie to the avian vet here in Atlanta.  She checked Dixie and did the 
usuall cultures on him/her.  She also trimmed his lower beak.  Any advice/
comments are appreciated.

Thanks,
Debbie
Newsgroups: rec.pets.birds
From: news@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu
Subject: re: newcomer to Columbus
Organization: The Ohio State University
Distribution: usa
Date: Wed, 9 Sep 1992 13:45:29 GMT

This article was probably generated by a buggy news reader.
From: bergman@panix.com (Mark Bergman)
Newsgroups: rec.pets.birds
Subject: Re: How BirdieIzed Are You?
Date: 9 Sep 92 05:21:45 GMT
Organization: PANIX Public Access Unix & Internet, NYC

In article <Bu9vEG.4y5@news.cso.uiuc.edu> susan@solace.me.uiuc.edu (Susan Wrightson) writes:
>>
>>which brings me to the next topic.  what is the extent that you will
>>bring your birdie into conversation at work or in social gatherings?
>>
For the last 3 years, the birds have featured prominantly on
our answering machine...for example:

	Billie and Charlie are busy eating or sleeping now, so leave a
	message. They might pass it on to Mark or Meredith.

Billie and Charlie are cockatiels. I'm Mark and my wife is
Meredith. The machine does _not_ explain this, so
strangers/salespersons/business types wonder how many people
live in our apartment, and who is married to who. Sometimes
I fill them in.

When we (recently) moved, my wife and I sent out moving
notices to friends and business contacts. They read
something like:

	Mark, Meredith, Billie, and Charlie are moving...

Many people asked when we had children!

----
Mark Bergman
718-855-9148

bergman@panix.com
{cmcl2,psi,uunet,apple}!panix!bergman
From: Polly.Goldman@f615.n109.z1.fidonet.org (Polly Goldman)
Sender: Uucp@blkcat.UUCP