Ferrets are not pets for the unaware. They are too inquisitive and too acquisitive for the casual pet owner. They steal keys, cigarettes, wallets, pagers, cell phones and shoes. And they investigate any likely source of goodies—thus today’s picture of Taz proving that Woozles, unlike Tiggers, DO like honey. This is what happens if we forget to move the turntable from the table when he is at liberty. Lids are a temporary impediment at best! Unfortunately, they also eat things like ear plugs, which are bad for them and result in expensive surgeries.

The domesticated pet ferrets act a lot like their wild cousins, the black footed ferret, but in spite of what California law says—they are NOT wild and cannot replace the wild ferret. The black footed ferret, while still very endangered, is being bred and released into its old habitat. While I have watched hours of video related to this desperate effort to save these beautiful little predators, I can’t say I have much hope. They had such limited breeding stock to begin the program, I fear there will not be a healthy amount of genetic diversity in the animals produced. And in July this year, sylvatic plague swept through the prairie dog/ferret habitat in the Dakotas and killed over a third (last check) of the re-established ferrets dwelling there.

My pet ferrets are my link to a world I fear is disappearing: a nature under assault. The latest video I enjoyed is to be found at the link: http://www.metacafe.com/watch/551895/black_footed_ferret/