FERRETS

These non-rodent relatives of the weasel, badger, and skunk, often the source of controversy over their appropriateness as house pets, are gaining in popularity, next in line to cats and dogs. Many young pet owners may be interested in finding out how to choose, feed, live with, and care for a ferret; while most of this entry in the Carolrhoda Nature Watch series is a manual for pet owners devoted to the caring and keep of domesticated ferrets, Johnson (Tomatoes, Potatoes, Corn, and Beans, p. 301, etc.) also considers its background and its historical uses as a working animal for hunting and pest control. The presentation of information is straightforward and easy to follow; full-color photographs throughout depict ferrets at work and play, including hunting for rabbits in the rubble of WW II Germany or engaging in backyard fun, such as a game of hide-and-seek or catch. A section on the black-footed ferret, a wild cousin, is also included. (glossary, index) (Nonfiction. 7-10)