HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: swoodcoc@nyx.cs.du.edu (Steven Markus Woodcock)
Subject: Re: Ferret Feeding
Organization: The Good Guys, Inc.                                      
Date: Thu, 12 Nov 92 03:12:28 GMT

In article <1dnfd0INNg7h@usenet.INS.CWRU.Edu> garvey@skybridge.SCL.CWRU.Edu (Heather Garvey) writes:
>
>	Yes, I'm asking some newbie questions about ferret feeding. :)
>
   Nothing wrong with that!

>	One book says "Make sure you get the high protein kitten chow
>as opposed to cat chow"
>	One says to alternate cat chow with canned cat food to "cut down
>on protein intake".
>	What gives? Do they need the 35% kitten chow protein or the less-
>than-cat-chow protein?
>
   We feed our kids Hill Science Diet Kitten Growth Formula mixed with
Meow Mix.  The Hill Science is 40% animal protein, which is VERY good
for the kids; the Meow Mix adds some flavor that they seem to like a
lot.
>
>	And is there anything that is poisonous to ferrets (that isn't
>poisonous to humans)? For example, you shouldn't let your dog eat
>a whole bag of chocolate because it will poison its system... It's just
>that Chelsea FINALLY recognized one of the many foods I've offered her
>as a snack. She loooves semi-sweet chocolate! (Well, that and chocolate
>frozen yogurt. :)) I just want to make sure it won't make her sick.
>(Obviously, she only gets treats occasionally and in small amounts. 
>Don't need her getting fat...:-))
>
   We give our kids an occasional chocolate chip for a treat.  It won't
hurt them.


Steven W.
One of the Good Guys


--
    "...Men will awake presently and be Men again, and colour and laughter and
 splendid living will return to a grey civilization. But that will only come 
 true because a few Men will believe in it, and fight for it, and fight in its
 name against everything that sneers and snarls at that ideal..."
Xref: sparky rec.pets:3576 la.general:906
From: liz@grian.cps.altadena.ca.us (Liz Allen)
Newsgroups: rec.pets,la.general
Subject: sweet puppy needs home
Date: 13 Nov 92 00:15:13 GMT
Distribution: la
Organization: College Park Software, Altadena, CA

We have a nice little male puppy, approximately 6 months old.  He was
someone's pet and either ran away or got dumped up here in Altadena.
He looks like an Australian sheepdog mix.  He's got longish hair on
his back and sides which is grey and black.  His legs and face have
shorter hair and is more tan.  We're guessing from the size of his
paws, etc, that he'll be on the order of 50-60lbs full grown.  He seems
smart and did manage to survive up here on his own for at least a week
which is something of an achievement given that we're on the edge of
the wild.  He's not terribly well trained -- or at least he's not used
to cats -- but seems house broken and learns relatively quickly.  He
gets along pretty well with our dogs -- they've had some discussions
about dominance, etc, but they mostly play already after just a few
days.  He's quite friendly.  He's real snuggly and loves to be petted.
He's gentle, too; he's made no move towards nipping us or anything.

We or one of the neighbors here would keep him, but we have enough
critters already (we have 3 dogs and 2 cats!).  We've looked for missing
dog signs but haven't found any.  At the moment, he's staying in our
backyard which is not ideal.  We let him in the house from time to
time, but he chases our cats and we don't really have time to train
him.

If you'd like a puppy or know someone else who might please let us
know.  Thanks.
-- 
		- Liz Allen	liz@grian.cps.altadena.ca.us
				ames!elroy!grian!liz
"God is light; in him there is no darkness at all." -- 1 John 1:5b
From: garvey@skybridge.SCL.CWRU.Edu (Heather Garvey)
Newsgroups: rec.pets
Subject: Re: rec.pets.ferrets, ferret FAQ ?
Date: 8 Nov 1992 19:27:48 GMT
Organization: Smith Undergrad Lab, CWRU, Cleve. OH
NNTP-Posting-Host: solarium.scl.cwru.edu
X-Post-Machine: solarium.scl.cwru.edu

In article <urf.720534048@sw2001> urf@icl.se (Urban F) writes:
>
>What I do think there is a need for, is a rec.pets Ferret FAQ. Our
>site haven't had rec.pets very long, but I've already seen several
>questions here like "are ferrets illegal in ...", (something which
>interests me very little, but of course if great interest to those
>who are about to get a ferret in some places), 

	As someone who bought a ferret at home in one state, took it
to school in a second and will be getting a job in probably a third state
next summer, this question is very interesting to me! :)
	But you are right: A FAQ would be the ideal way to compose
and distribute a list of states, etc. where ferrets are illegal or require
special licenses and such. If I actually knew much about ferrets other
than my Chelsea, I'd offer to help out. :)

--
	" ...dealing with Free-Net makes me very angry  | Heather "Moose"
and gives me thoughts of breaking things and torturing  | Garvey, Biochem 93'
small animals. "   --  Bruce Ikenaga <bxi@po.cwru.edu>  | <hlg@po.cwru.edu>
Newsgroups: rec.pets
From: ebp4907@ultb.isc.rit.edu (E.B. Palmer)
Subject: Re: Presidential Ferret?  Why not?
Originator: ebp4907@ultb
Organization: Rochester Institute of Technology
Date: Tue, 10 Nov 1992 19:16:59 GMT

In article <1992Nov10.063929.20438@mr.med.ge.com> hinz@picard.med.ge.com (David Hinz Mfg 4-6987) writes:
>
>OK, but why not a presidential Ferret?  I think that would say a lot 
>more about a leader.  Imagine the little weasel (the ferret, not the
>president) jumping around excitedly, chuckling, and bouncing off the
>expensive furniture, and digging around in the dirt?  (Gosh, this is
>sounding more and MORE like a president rather than a ferret!)
>
>--
>
>Dave Hinz  -  Opinions expressed are mine, not my employer's.  Obviously.
>Don't blame me; I voted for Perot!                hinzd@picard.med.ge.com 
>SAAB - Because you get what you pay for.             Pherrets are Phun!!!


It's been done. Theodore Roosevelt had one, along with a kangaroo.  At
least that's what I read in the paper this morning. Apparently some
people were complaining that Clinton had a cat, and that they thought he
should get a dog to "improve his populist image."


-- 
Erica                                        | "I co-oped for Kodak and all  |
                                             |  I developed was this lousy   |
ebp4907@ritvax.isc.rit.edu                   |  cold."                       |
erica@damage.bah.rochester.ny.us             |_______________________________|
Newsgroups: rec.pets
From: palmj@marcus.its.rpi.edu (Jyri L. Palm)
Subject: Re: Ferret vomiting
Date: Thu, 12 Nov 1992 23:36:58 GMT

My ferret (CrazyGirl) vomited last Sunday.  It was a clear oderless
liquid (yeah, I *actually* smelled it).  I believe she had a cold.  I
was nervous on Monday because she was just kind of laying around.  The
best thing I could say about her condition was that she was breathing.
She seemed to seek out a warm place to sleep, so we did our best to crank
up the heat and cover her up.

We brought her "room service" water and food, and she drank lots of water.
Tuesday she was up and about, and Wednesday she was bouncing off the walls
even more than before.

I would have taken her to a vet, but I'm kind of stranded.  Fortunately,
everything worked out.

By the way, when ferrets are sick, do they intentionally avoid other
ferrets in the houshold.  She seemed to avoid the other one.  He has shown
no signs of this "sickness."  I assume the difference is because she is
very frail and thin, whereas he is bulky and meaty.

Speaking of ferrets eating things, CrazyGirl has had a particular taste
for styrofoam.  I found this out after finding styrofoam poop in the
litter box (and no it wasn't a fake poop sample for the display model
of the box).  Now I've been real careful to make sure there is none left
around for her to eat.  I almost wish their systems were indestructible,
because they really love to eat weird things.

JP


Newsgroups: rec.pets
From: sauron@femto.engr.mun.ca (Patrick Ryan)
Subject: Scabs on Cat, Please Advise
Organization: Memorial University of Newfoundland
Date: Sat, 7 Nov 1992 00:21:22 GMT

I've been noticing scabs on my 2-year old, neutered male cat's back
lately.  At first, I assumed they were from a run-in with another cat,
but they've been getting worse.  Does anyone recognise this as something
serious?  SHould I be running for a vet?

--
   ,---, ,---, ,-----, /  Of course I said it!  Do you / sauron@ / o o
  /   / /   /    /    / think  MUN  even acknowledges /  engr.  /   v
 /---` /---/    /    / my existence, let alone allow /  mun.ca /   `-'
/     /   /    /    / me to speak for them?/chris@zeus rented this space
From: urf@icl.se (Urban F)
Newsgroups: rec.pets
Subject: Re: Ferrets and Digging!!
Date: 9 Nov 92 06:49:17 GMT
Organization: None. On USENET I speak only for myself.

Ferrets are persistent in trying to get where they want to get. As it is
possible to tear a cardboard barrier a little, they won't give up until
they are through it. Same with carpets, as long as they can get a corner
up, they'll go on.

I use cardboard taped tightly at the openings next to the stove in my
kitchen, as I don't let them be in the kitchen when I'm not at home I
could teach them not to dig there.

Otherwise my favourite material is 2 mm soft aluminium, bent to sort
of an 'L' shape -- can't dig in, can't dig down. As it's hard and
smooth, it's not much fun digging at it, so they tire quickly.

In front of the balcony door, I've got a board of hard wood flat on
the floor, to prevent them to get to the carpet.


(Too bad about the balcony: The previous ferret I had, I could take
out there in the summer, sitting on cushions from the sofa, reading
a book, and she enjoying herself out there. Very well-behaved.
The ones I have now, I dare not take out any more. Allison is either
too smart or too stupid for her own good. First thing she tried to
do when I took them out, was try to climb down using the runoff pipe
coming down from the roof outside of my balcony.)
--
 Urban Fredriksson   urf@icl.se  (n.g.u.fredriksson.swe2001@oasis.icl.co.uk)
 I wonder if there is a universe where washing machines give away socks?
Newsgroups: rec.pets
Subject: Re: Scabs on Cat, Please Advise
From: teri <TLD115@psuvm.psu.edu>
Date: Mon, 9 Nov 1992 10:32:46 EST
Organization: Penn State University


in article <sauron.721095682@femto.engr.mun.ca> he writes:

I've been noticing scabs on my 2-year old, neutered male cat's back
lately.  At first, I assumed they were from a run-in with another cat,
but they've been getting worse.  Does anyone recognise this as something
serious?  SHould I be running for a vet?


My one cat gets scabs sometimes.  For her it is nothing real serious, and the
vet is not sure why she gets them.  The main problem is that she gets really
gross to touch.  She also tends to clean herself more, and gets more hairballs
so she throws up.  The vet thought it may have been a food allergy, but we
switched foods a couple of times, and it didn't help.

The vet gives her a shot of cortisone, and she clears up for a while.

I'd suggest taking your cat to the vet, just to make sure it is not something
serious, and to see what can be done about it.


teri
Newsgroups: rec.pets
Subject: Re: Scabs on Cat, Please Advise
From: chelsea@oneb2.almanac.bc.ca
Date: Sun, 08 Nov 92 08:07:10 PST
Organization: The Old Coot's (Spare) Almanac

sauron@femto.engr.mun.ca (Patrick Ryan) writes:

> I've been noticing scabs on my 2-year old, neutered male cat's back
> lately.  At first, I assumed they were from a run-in with another cat,
> but they've been getting worse.  Does anyone recognise this as something
> serious?  SHould I be running for a vet?
> 
> --
>    ,---, ,---, ,-----, /  Of course I said it!  Do you / sauron@ / o o
>   /   / /   /    /    / think  MUN  even acknowledges /  engr.  /   v
>  /---` /---/    /    / my existence, let alone allow /  mun.ca /   `-'
> /     /   /    /    / me to speak for them?/chris@zeus rented this space

I have a pet rat and the same thing is happening to him.  


The vet said that he wasn't getting enough protien in his diet,and
gave me some new food. It did not work.  They are now way worse and
he is not eating well. I am taking him to the vet today.  
               CHELSEA+MICKEY
By the way,you might want to try shanging his litter,bedding to a
different type.

chelsea@oneb2.almanac.bc.ca (Chelsea Graham)
                  The Old Coot's Almanac
               Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada
                    Courtesy the old coot hisse'f!
From: jeffp@wsuaix.csc.wsu.edu (Jeff Parke;S10000)
Newsgroups: rec.pets
Subject: Re: Guinea Pigs
Date: 13 Nov 92 03:16:30 GMT
Article-I.D.: serval.1992Nov13.031630.1131
Organization: Washington State University

In article <12NOV199211260195@rigel.tamu.edu> lkc9240@rigel.tamu.edu (CLUISS, LINDA KAY) writes:
>
>I have two guinea pigs that are extremely cute.  The first and oldest is named B.B
>          Another question that I was wondering about concerns vegetables.  
>All they ever eat is carrots, and now they even squeak out in joy when they hear

If they eat nothing but carrots, you should hold off the carrots until they
start to eat some of the pellets.  Also, they need Vit c supplimentation.
Newsgroups: rec.pets
From: "karen mcmurray" <karen.mcmurray@canrem.com>
Subject: ferret feeding
Reply-To: "karen mcmurray" <karen.mcmurray@canrem.com>
Organization: Canada Remote Systems
Distribution: rec
Date: 12 Nov 92 13:00:56 EST


HG> Yes, I'm asking some newbie questions about ferret feeding. :)

HG> One book says "Make sure you get the high protein kitten chow
HG>as opposed to cat chow"

I can get actual Ferret Food around here (and it tempts me to be a
smartass when people ask me what they eat).  It has 35% protein and
20% fat.  You want to find something very close to that.  Actually, due
to a temporary problem with the ferret food (Ferret Diet, produced
by Rolf C. Hagen company), I'm now feeding them a combination of that
and Science Diet adult cat food (which has the same nutritional
information).  Of course, they'll also eat whatever they can mooch
from us...

HG>that Chelsea FINALLY recognized one of the many foods I've offered her
HG>as a snack. She loooves semi-sweet chocolate! (Well, that and chocolate

Depending on how old Chelsea is, you may or may not have discovered that
around six months, non-descented ferrets acquire a rather skunky...aroma.
Just before that age, our Holy Terror, Wasabi, stole a plastic bag full
of chocolate candies, dragged it under the sofa and indulged.  Our first
hint that anything was amiss was the most unbelievably foul smell
emanating from our little weasel.  We then discovered and removed the
chocolates, and the smell faded in a day or so.  We're not *certain*
whether it was brought on by the chocolate or normal maturity, but the
chocolate's a reasonable bet.

The only other side-effect is that Wasabi is now convinced that Good
Things come in plastic bags and will steal and drag off *anything* in
a bag.  The sight of a two-pound animal making off with an entire loaf
of bread is something to behold!

---
-karen                                  karen.mcmurray@canrem.com
Byte Craft Limited
Waterloo, Ontario                       'Twas brillig and the slithey toves...
---
  DeLuxe 1.25 #12424  
--
Canada Remote Systems  - Toronto, Ontario
World's Largest PCBOARD System - 416-629-7000/629-7044
From: fskmt@darkhorse.acf-lab.alaska.edu (Rowan K. Shaman)
Newsgroups: rec.pets.birds
Subject: My Cordon Bleus won't breed
Date: 11 Nov 92 02:59:16 GMT
Article-I.D.: raven.1992Nov11.025916.9616
Organization: University of Alaska Computer Network

Hi, everybody.
	I have this wonderful pair of cordon bleus.  They're very healthy;  
I make sure they have a balanced diet (various seeds, maggots, crickets,  
egg & eggshell, vitamin suplements, sand, charcoal, oyster shell,  
dandelion, shepard's purse & lettuce leaves, the whole shpiel), frequent  
baths, lots of space, occasional exposure to sun--I really do everything I  
can short of letting them go in Africa to make them feel comfortable.  
	In spite of all this, I can't get them to breed sucessfully.   
Several times they've built fine nests, laid eggs, and incubated them  
religiously, but the eggs don't hatch.  After four or five weeks I remove  
the eggs and see what's in them:  there are little fetuses, so I know  
they're fertile!  What could be the problem here?  Anybody have experience  
breeding bleus?     
	Thanks!
  	   Rowan
Newsgroups: rec.pets.birds
From: tolsen@leland.Stanford.EDU (Tanya Ann Olsen)
Subject: Re: Budgie "flap attack"
Organization: DSG, Stanford University, CA 94305, USA
Date: Wed, 11 Nov 92 18:38:11 GMT

In article <slendt.66@unomaha.edu> slendt@unomaha.edu (Steven Lendt) writes:
>In article <BxIKG5.FDr@news.iastate.edu> whisnant@iastate.edu (Kerry L Whisnant) writes:
>
>>A friend of mine has three budgies, and they all have a strange behavior
>>that we call a "flap attack", where they furiously flap their wings while
>>hanging on to their perch. They seem very agitated and sometimes emit
>>squawking noises at the same time. The whole episode lasts for maybe
>>5 to 15 seconds, and then they seem perfectly normal. It happens fairly
>>regularly, at least once a day for each of them, and usually they're
>>inside their cage when it happens.
>
>>We've been specualting that they're just exercising their wings, since
>>they're clipped and don't get to fly (although they do try to fly
>>sometimes when they're outside the cage). Either that or they all have
>>a case of bird epilepsy :-)
>
>>Does anybody know what this means? It must be common since all three
>>birds do it regularly.
>>-- 
>>Kerry Whisnant                  High Energy Physics Group
>>whisnant@iastate.edu            Department of Physics and Astronomy
>>whisnant@alisuvax.bitnet        Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011
>
>It's common among other birds too.  Our cockatoo does this "goof out"
>attack, often just when we come home as if to express his outrage
>that we left him alone during the day.
>
>My guess would be that caged birds with clipped wings are more prone
>to this sort of behavior.  Anyone else care to comment on this?
>
> ____________________________________________________________________________
>|  Steven Lendt, Campus Network Mgr   |   Internet: slendt@unocdc.unomaha.edu|
>|  University of Nebraska at Omaha    |   Bitnet (via gateway):              |
>|  Computing and Data Communications  |     slendt%unocdc.unomaha.edu@unlvax1|
>|  6001 Dodge Street                  |   Voice Phone (402) 554-2523         |
>|  Omaha, NE 68182-0051 USA           |   Fax (402) 554-3475                 |
>|  The attention span of a computer is only as long as its electrical cord.  |
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

My amazon just recently had her wings clipped (she's 15 years old).  When we
first got her, we clipped her wings, but we've let them grow out since she
was about 3.  I vaguely remember her doing the flapping wing routine before,
but she definitely is doing it again now.  I suspect it's just a way to 
stretch out the wing muscles without actually flying.

Tanya
tolsen@stanford.leland.edu

P.S.  I let the vet coerce me into letting her clip the wings.  I will never
do that again.  The bird has become very lethargic, inactive, disinterested,
and generally timid.  She acts like she's been crippled which she has!  I
will never let her wings get clipped again.









Newsgroups: rec.pets.birds
From: jegm@cody.esd.sgi.com (Jim Morris)
Subject: Re: Birdie Beak Bonking
Keywords: bonk bonk bonk <hey cut that out!> bonk bonk bonk
Reply-To: jegm@esd.sgi.com
Organization: Silicon Graphics, Inc.
Date: Thu, 12 Nov 1992 18:53:13 GMT

My Macaw Loves to bend down as low as he can get, then spring up with his
beak pointing up, and hit the top of his cage, which emits a loud "BONG".
He does this for about 5 minutes usually to get attention. Makes me wonder
if Birds can get headaches too?
-- 
Jim Morris, Email: jegm@esd.sgi.com  Voice: (415) 390-5136
Newsgroups: rec.pets.birds
Subject: Mean Male Budgie
From: <LMS5@psuvm.psu.edu>
Date: Sat, 7 Nov 1992 18:01:22 EST

  My Parents inherited two parakeets from my Aunt when she moved. Turns out
that one was female and the other male (now my Mom knows why he has been
climbing all over her a lot lately:-). About a month ago she laid 3 eggs in
the corner of the cage, so Mom and Dad went down to the pet store and bought
them their first home (wish they would do that for me, maybe if I laid eggs?).
Well, the two of them broke all three eggs fighting..bitter fighting..he just
wouldn't let her into the nest! Finally, after almost all of her neck feathers
were gone, my parents decided to separate them. But, by then she laid 4 more
eggs. Now the male seems to be taking great care of the eggs, he is rarely ever
out of the nest. A few times, after the female starting looking healthier, they
tried to reintroduce them, but the male just started attacking her again till
she looked like had a run in with Mike Tyson (hmmm.. maybe that is what I
should name the male :-). The eggs should be hatching within the week, question
is.. my parents read where the babies need *both* parents to feed and raise
them. Why is Mike picking on Robin? (yeah, I like those names.. they fit :-)
And will we be able to put Robin back with Mike? Please let me know soon, they
are coming up for a visit on Tuesday and are thinking or putting Robin back
with Mike before they leave (just in case the eggs hatch).

Laurie
Newsgroups: rec.pets.birds
From: dsnhv@dsnsun.ericsson.se (Henk Vriens)
Subject: Re: Bird genetics (more Dec. BirdTalk) 
Keywords: genetics
Reply-To: dsnhv@ericsson.se
Organization: Ericsson Telecom, Stockholm, Sweden
Date: Mon, 9 Nov 1992 18:06:01 GMT

In article 2302 of rec.pets.birds Liz Snella (snella@icbr.ufl.edu) writes:

>	In the December issue of BirdTalk there is an article about 
>breeding blue Quakers.  In it they talk about the results of some 
>crosses and say that the following results are what would be expected.  
>I don't understand why these are the expected results.
>
>	 Blue X Green = 100% Green/Blue
>
>	 Blue X Green/Blue = 75% Blue and 25% Green/Blue
>
>	 Green/Blue X Green/Blue = 50% Blue, 25% Green/Blue and 25% Green
>
>Can someone with more experience in bird genetics explain this to me?

That's correct.
Since green dominates blue, all birds from blue x green inherit the
blue factor from the parent but will NOT show it.
Because both parents in the other pairs have the blue factor, both pairs
can produce blue young, but only to a certain percentage.

Think of the chromosome PAIRS (yep two of each) and draw a little scheme
for each pair.


         |       Blue |       Blue
  -------+------------+------------
   Green | Green/Blue | Green/Blue
  -------+------------+------------
   Green | Green/Blue | Green/Blue 
      

         |       Blue |       Blue
  -------+------------+------------
   Green | Green/Blue | Green/Blue
  -------+------------+------------
   Blue  |       Blue |       Blue


         | Green      |       Blue
  -------+------------+------------
   Green | Green      | Green/Blue
  -------+------------+------------
   Blue  | Green/Blue |       Blue


I've been thinking for a while to write some articles on bird genetics,
and perhaps this is a good way to start if someone is willing to correct
spelling errors in names/terms etc.


Henk Vriens
Ericsson Data Services
Rijen, The Netherlands

Newsgroups: rec.pets.birds