I'm sorry, you must be thick in the head and 100% deaf to be able to sleep through something like that. The child couldn't have been wailing, he must've been screeching bloody murder throughout the whole ordeal. I'm glad he's being taken away.

And the... -ahem- mentally retarded breeder ("not chewy", 6-weeks-old, etc.) should have HIS toes chewed off.

Joe, maybe that was her way of telling me I needed to shower more? Or maybe I showered too much? I miss that little bugger, unfortunately she had to be put down a few months ago. Ferrets are not easy animals to keep; lots of health problems from prevalent ferret mills.

This article was linked on Fark.com when it first came out, and it was linked with a hilarious headline. Something to the effect that the baby would have been better off away from the parents and living in the wild with either the pit bull or the ferret. I think I agree.

I had ferrets - and yes I can see that the "ferret did it" - or probably did. Ferrets have been responsible for quite a few "baby chewing" incidents - in fact that is why they are illegal to keep as pets in some states (CA for one) - they are carnivores - they eat baby mice in the wild - they were used for centuries and domesticated for one purpose - to kill baby mice. They are animals who will kill for the sport of it - not because they are hungry. They do make terrific pets! But they are NOT good with very small children. In fact I believe they can sense, instinctively, a very young/infant animal of any kind and are prone to be attracted to biting that infant (animal, human). My kind, gentle, never-bit-anyone ferret Louisel - went to the vet for her rabies shot, and the vet asked me if I had kids. Nope, no kids. he cautioned me that ferrets are not to be trusted around kids. No problem, I don't have kids. So on the way home from the vet I went into Jiffy Lube for an oil change, and took the ferret into the waiting room with me, she curled up on my lap and went to sleep. Later, in came a lady with an infant baby - walked by us, and my ferret woke up instantly, and raised up out of my lap sniffing the air - raised up like a cobra and followed that lady with her baby and "locked on" to them (air-scenting) - I was horrified - obviously she had really been attracted to that baby, and right after what my vet had told me - I was very interested in her unusual behavior that day. Of course I didn't let her meet the baby to see her reaction close-up.
Anyway there have been many incidents of babies with toes, fingers, lips, noses - chewed on /off by ferrets. I don't think many incidents of puppies doing the same thing. And as for rats - they are omnivores - opportunistic feeders - they will eat meat, but it is not their main diet and they would probably not choose to chew on toes unless they were starving and the baby was not making so much noise/activity - they would choose an easier meal, I'm certain rats were not the culprits..

molly

Never mind, still getting used to this new format (you know what they say about old dogs & new tricks).

Micheal Wise sent an update on this yesterday. One parent says the puppy did it, the other says the ferret did it.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20061221/ap_on_re_us/baby_s_toes_2