Fara Shimbo on tue 18 jun 02
As someone who worked on the effort to legalize ferrets in
California for 15 years, I can tell you that the reason
ferrets are illegal in California is entirely political
and has absolutely zero to do with reality. One person
decided it was going to be that way and got two entire
departments involved in fabricating data to provide a
rationale for his decision. (Search the web for "cdfa
ferrets" for the whole most interesting story.)
As someone who's owned over 400 of the little guys,
I can tell you ferrets smell wonderful. Entire hobs
smell a bit wretched during the breeding season, but
when I was working in Lord & Taylor's advertizing
department, I smelled $500/ounce perfumes that were
*far* worse than the most macho hob.
The only problem with ferrets in the pottery is that
they really, REALLY love clay. Especially clay in
plastic bags, in which they will tear holes with
vigor. They also think being twirled around on a wheel
head is *great* fun! And drinking water full of clay,
ooo, that's the best. They will also vent their artistic
talents by performing sgraffito on any leather-hard ware
you happen to have about. Ferrets loose in a working pottery
are not really the best idea. But I will say that in
the twenty years I kept them, while I lost several bags
of clay, I never even saw a rodent. Just the smell of
a ferret on my hand was enough to drive the local
hamster into hysterics. I wish the cats did as good
a job.
--
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Fara Shimbo, Master Crystalliera, Certified Public Nuisance
Shimbo Pottery, Box 41, Hygiene, Colorado, USA 80533
www.shimbopottery.com ^^^ www.crystalline-ceramics.info
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Eric Suchman on tue 18 jun 02
I'm sorry, but as cute as they are and perhaps should be legal in CA. They
do have musk glands and while not nearly as powerful as skunks, the scent is
not unlike it either. I've had customers that had ferrets outside and you
could smell them when near and I have a black footed ferret (wild) that
lives in my garden wall and you can smell him when you go through the garden
gate. It's not entirely unpleasant to me but it is decidedly distinct.
It's sort of a 'good' 'earthy' smell, not unlike the tiniest smidgeon of
skunk in a large room (but not as sharp).
Eric from Oceanside, CA
> From: Fara Shimbo
> Reply-To: Ceramic Arts Discussion List
> Date: Tue, 18 Jun 2002 06:31:50 -0400
> To: CLAYART@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG
> Subject: Why Ferrets Are Illegal in CA
>
> As someone who worked on the effort to legalize ferrets in
> California for 15 years, I can tell you that the reason
> ferrets are illegal in California is entirely political
> and has absolutely zero to do with reality. One person
> decided it was going to be that way and got two entire
> departments involved in fabricating data to provide a
> rationale for his decision. (Search the web for "cdfa
> ferrets" for the whole most interesting story.)
>
> As someone who's owned over 400 of the little guys,
> I can tell you ferrets smell wonderful. Entire hobs
> smell a bit wretched during the breeding season, but
> when I was working in Lord & Taylor's advertizing
> department, I smelled $500/ounce perfumes that were
> *far* worse than the most macho hob.
>
> The only problem with ferrets in the pottery is that
> they really, REALLY love clay. Especially clay in
> plastic bags, in which they will tear holes with
> vigor. They also think being twirled around on a wheel
> head is *great* fun! And drinking water full of clay,
> ooo, that's the best. They will also vent their artistic
> talents by performing sgraffito on any leather-hard ware
> you happen to have about. Ferrets loose in a working pottery
> are not really the best idea. But I will say that in
> the twenty years I kept them, while I lost several bags
> of clay, I never even saw a rodent. Just the smell of
> a ferret on my hand was enough to drive the local
> hamster into hysterics. I wish the cats did as good
> a job.
>
> --
> ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
> Fara Shimbo, Master Crystalliera, Certified Public Nuisance
> Shimbo Pottery, Box 41, Hygiene, Colorado, USA 80533
> www.shimbopottery.com ^^^ www.crystalline-ceramics.info
> ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
>
> ______________________________________________________________________________
> Send postings to clayart@lsv.ceramics.org
>
> You may look at the archives for the list or change your subscription
> settings from http://www.ceramics.org/clayart/
>
> Moderator of the list is Mel Jacobson who may be reached at
> melpots@pclink.com.
| |
|
