Ferrets are very unique pets to own. They are named after the Latin word "furonem" which means "thief." They were named this because of their propensity to hoard and save food and toys in hiding places. Ferrets are now some of the most popular household pets out there. They can be friendly and inquisitive. These social animals make great pets, but they will need some patience to be litter trained.

Ferrets were domesticated as few as 2,500 years ago. Ever since that time, they have considered humans as part of their social group. They were the preferred animals of the nobility and royals in the Middle Ages for their engaging and sociable behavior as well as their striking features.

Ferrets are part of the weasel family, which can include a lot of members. The weasel family are mustelids. They have over 65 different species of cousins in the weasel family, including otters and badgers. If you were to closely observe a ferret, you will begin to understand how similar they are to these creatures instead of the rodents they are usually contrasted with. Ferrets come in different shades of brown with black highlights although they are sleek ferret cat and have short fur. There are ferrets which are albinos and they are easily identified by their pink eyes and white fur, similar to other animals which have an albino strain.

Male ferrets are usually about 18 inches and 2-3 pounds, while females are a little smaller. No one knows why ferrets take toys and food to hide them for later on. It could have started off as a method of saving food during the cold winters, quite similar to the behavior observed in squirrels. It could be how this trait began, but it is still observed to this present day.

Ferrets are commonly blamed unfairly for being odorous. This is not the case. They do have a slightly dank smell about them due to their natural oils, however, you can take away these glands that are responsible for such odors. Usually, if your ferrets have a strong odor, it is due their cages being unsanitary or due to owners not giving them adequate care. Should you neglect your ferret's living space or litter box for a number of days, be prepared for the odor!

Additional care needs to be given to ensure that ferrets do not give off an unpleasant odor and are maintained in tip-top condition. Unfortunately, they are prone to a number of ferret diseases and their already too-short lifetimes can become even more shortened. The diet of the ferret should be very high in fat and protein. They require a diet consisting of 35% protein and approximately 15% fat in order to be well maintained. For the first few years of a ferret's life, you will have to be very careful about what you feed them to make sure that they grow up strong.

Of course, if you are in a tight spot, you may give your ferret cat food, however, this cannot continue over long periods of time. Bear in mind, cat food will not have all the necessary nutrients and minerals that ferrets require.

Ferrets are very intelligent and can be trained to do some tricks, although this will require some patience. They have an innate liking for holes as they were originally bred to chase rabbits from their burrows. They are descended from polecats and love to sleep. Usually, a ferret can sleep for as long as 18 hours but you will definitely be in the know when they come out of their slumber! These pets are fun, loyal and smart, making them great animals to have around.

With summer time coming to an end I decided to tidy up around the edges of the garden which consists mainly of very old silver birch trees and large conifers. After a general tidy up around the borders of the grass and finally into the borders I had managed to clear a path sufficiently so that I could get at the low and overhanging branches.

Some issues where that the branches where growing such that they where protruding into the fence and in places had caused damaged to the panels, 3 of which needed replacing. In order to avoid further damage, not to mention give the garden a sense of shape, harmony and general neatness I decided I would chop away at the main brace of the branches.

After considering the purchase of a chainsaw I decided against it, mainly because of the all round general fear factor from using one! Plus I ascertained there was the extra cost of personal protective equipment such as Decker kevlar trousers, jacket, hat and eye protection. I already had the safety footwear so that wasn't an issue.

Inspection of the branches gave an average branch diameter of around 4cm and while that isn't too thick, there were lots of branches to cut, and I mean lots - probably in the region of two hundred or so. For those of you who have ever taken a bow saw to a couple of hundred branches then I guess you understand my apprehension with this method!

So a trip to my local hardward / DIY store meant I stumbled across the Black and Decker Alligator Lopper, a fine looking garden tool if there ever was one. The best way to describe it would be a cross between a garden lopper and a power chainsaw, an alligator and a bird of prey, well I hope you get the idea.

The safety aspect comes in because the chain is enclosed on the outer edges, leaving a much safer bar of 10cm in length having a pitch of 1/4. It isn't the quietest of tools out there but considering it's usage then I wouldn't really have expected anything different, when using all power tools it is advised to use ear protection and this was no different. Weight is acceptable although I did find myself taking a small breather every twenty branches or so.

Maintenance is easy, a simple unscrew to add the chain oil, which I did have to do around ten or so times during the duration of the days work, not too bad considering the volume of work.

In summary, at just under $250.00 I have had my fair use out of the Alligator Loppers already and while it's not something I would use every day in the garden I can certainly see it will quickly become a tool which I depend upon, never again will I have to dig around in the shed for that rusty old bow saw and begin the arduous task of manually lopping branches.

It certainly gets the thumbs up from me!