To the left is a picture of me, Sydney Harper. I live in Florence, Alabama, or The Shoals as we fondly refer to it, with my husband Rick Ruhl, our cat Katie (Nell unfortunately passed away from kidney failure awhile back), our ferrets F. Balthasar Ferret and Zoë Ferret, and a number of fish.  Fred A. Ferret (The "A." is short for "A") and Joan T.G. Ferret [short for "The Girl"] have passed away.  For a while I managed to mix soil science and computers.  I have a Masters in Environmental Science and a PhD in Soils where I looked at the fate of pesticides and other organic chemicals in soil.  I also have worked with computer models and have written computer programs for soil and environmental applications.   Currently though, Rick and I run our own software company, Creative Services Software, for wireless and radio frequency software and networking.  In my not so abundant spare time, I also spend time with my art, painting and drawing, knitting and spinning, genealogy, ham radio (N4GDO), and being an assistant when my husband performs magic.

If you are interested in my genealogy web site, my knitting and spinning blog, or our magic and illusion web site click on the links below.

• Edwards, Ruhl, and Gregory Genealogy
• Sydney's Knitting and Fiber Blog
• YourMagicMan.com

We really love our ferrets but they do come with their own specific requirements and problems.  If you have ferrets or are thinking about getting a ferret, check the following web sites for more information.

• Ferret Central
• American Ferret Association
• Ferret Health Care - Adrenal Disease and Insulinoma
• Ferret Health Discussion List
• Searchable archives of the Ferret Health Discussion List (above)
• Searchable archives of the Ferret Mailing List

The "Ferrets for Dummies" book may be useful too. Don't let the "Dummies" title fool you.  This is an excellent general book for anyone interested in keeping ferrets. Just for fun, I would like to recommend "500 Things My Ferret Told Me".  You won't get advice on ferret care or health, just a very funny little book.

 

The following books are not for the faint of heart since they are intended for veterinary professionals.  They can be difficult reading for those who don't have much experience in medical care.  However, they are valuable for anyone wanting more information about ferret medical care.  These books are NOT a substitute for veterinary care but can give more information about your veterinarian's diagnosis.  Most people feel that "Ferrets, Rabbits, and Rodents" is an easier read than "Biology & Diseases of the Ferret". 

 

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