Have any of you ever...?

[candiceboggs]

Taken a ferret to a pet-friendly store before?

How wise would that be?

I was picturing a fuzz with leash and harness on, riding around in the cart. Another thread made me think of this. You could show it toys and see if it was interested...

Any thoughts?

[miamiferret2]

I once saw a woman at petco with her ferret. He was wearing a little sweater. LOL.

[maddiesmom]

I haven't, but I've thought about it.

I'm too chicken, with the fear of ADV and flus and what not. I'm looking forward to seeing others answer your question, too, though.

[sunnyberra]

I've done it before, when Sian has finishing her vaccs and (since she'd had reactions before and the vet was over an hour away) we decided to wait longer than the 30 min. specified. She rode in her carrier for a bit, and when she proved well behave I just carried her around.

...yeah, we got some looks and our cashier had to go into a 10 minute long spiel about why she hated ferrets, but I dunno, I thought it was cute seeing her out, personally, though that's the only time I've done it

... possibly I should mention it was at a petsmart

[chrylis]

I've taken Kiwi to the local PetSmart, and once we managed to get a harness small enough to stay on her, she ran around for a little bit and was well-behaved. I'd have picked her up if any large dogs had been nearby, but things were slow, and she got a chance to examine an inventory of ferret toys. She particularly liked the ferret version of the cat tower (the one with openings on the front and different levels inside).

[sherrylynne]

I do it fairly regularly with Vincent, and I've had Sinnead in there. Vincent helps to teach the staff how to hold a ferret properly, how to scruff, etc. He's a sweetheart, and gets to pick out his own toy afterwards

[Heather]

I have. I've had a number of little ones do the visit with me. I don't allow them to run around on the floor but they ride on my shoulder (as Napoleon is in my avatar) and are handled by many people. I figure that if my guys go to the vets (a much more contaminated place) then they can probably travel to other places such as that. My guys also travel regularly to farmers markets, festivals, outdoor markets, art show and humane society support shows.
ciao

[maddiesmom]

Very good points, Heather. I'm going to have to learn to relax a little lol

[Heather]

It's not really about relaxing, it's about what you're comfortable with . If you're not comfortable taking your little ones to places because you're afraid of what they might catch, then educate yourself about what are the possible contagions in your area. Then see if you're comfortable with the risks. You may not be, that doesn't make it wrong. We all live life by the matter of risks, knowing those risks is half the battle and then moving around within our comfort zone with those risks is the next .
ciao

[sherrylynne]

I did let mine down on the floor, but you should also get to know the store staff where you go. It's kept very clean near me, and the staff will not allow what appears to be a sick animal in the store. In fact- they've got a sign in front pertaining to that
Everyone loves watching Vincent with his toy after he picks it out. He runs all over with it in his mouth, like a dog carrying a favourite ball. I don't bother telling them it's just because he can't find a place he trusts to stash it

[taratee]

i take ours to petsupermarket all the time sometimes our boys play with their kits

[rarnold18]

We do go out on fieldtrips but I limit myself to one or two fuzz at a time and that all depends on if my oldest or my husband is with me. If it's just me and the little ones I just take one. Usually I take Tai she's the most mellow of the group and doesn't mind being handled, pet, or oogled... I know that I will NOT take Gabby back because she freaked out, backed out of her harness and hid under some shelves, she was just too over-stimulted! Slink does well but gets bored quickly and usually curls up and goes to sleep in my purse. I love bringing them out because I love to talk to people in general....but then I start to ramble on about ferrets and BARF/Whole Prey and they get that glazed look in their eyes...and you know they're just standing there because they don't want to be rude so you pause and end the convo with a hey have a great afternoon... or something lame like that.... the manager at PetSmart is jealous of Tai's coat, so one day I told him to switch his fuzz to raw so their coats can be soft and silky and he looked at me like I had 10 heads and just killed a baby bunny all horrified and such....then he walked away like I was crazy...

[Heather]

That's how I got Napoleon. Little Mischief chose him. They stuck Mischief in the cage with all those little kits and he chose Napoleon
ciao

[candiceboggs]

Jan 14, 2011 23:35:14 GMT -5 sherrylynne said:

I do it fairly regularly with Vincent, and I've had Sinnead in there. Vincent helps to teach the staff how to hold a ferret properly, how to scruff, etc. He's a sweetheart, and gets to pick out his own toy afterwards

This made me go, "awwww".

Thank you all for your responses. I was just a little wary, though I liked the idea (gets them used to traveling and noisy places) but was thinking I might only like to hold him/her when I take him/her places with me. Or at least the leash/harness/cart thing, if I disinfect it well. (That's right, I'm one of THOSE people who likes to carry disinfectant wipes or gel around with them.)

[sherrylynne]

Unless you know your ferret exceeding well, only let people pet their backs, holding their faces away from them, just in case. Prevents any accidental "bites". Or perceived "bites"