Problem: Write an article based on this summary: Select which ferrets to breed. Watch for signs that the ferrets are ready to mate. Place the jill in the hob’s cage. Observe the jill after mating.

Answer: Breeding ferrets is a serious responsibility. Breeding ferrets that are related or have behavioral and/or physical health problems could introduce undesirable traits into the ferret population. For example, breeding closely-related ferrets could result in health problems in the babies (e.g. blindness, deafness) or pregnancy-related problems for the mother (e.g., small litters, premature death of babies).  If you already have a male and female ferret, you may want to have them genetically tested to make sure they are not closely related. Speak with your veterinarian about genetic testing options. Prior to breeding, take your ferrets to your veterinarian to ensure they are healthy. Ferrets reach sexual maturity during the first spring after their birth. This will be about four months of age for females (‘jills’) and between six and eight months of age for males (‘hobs’). The spring coincides with the ferret breeding season, so start to look for signs that your ferrets are ready to breed when the days get longer and the temperature starts to warm up.  A jill in heat will have a swollen and enlarged vulva, which is part of her external genitalia. You will notice a pink and watery secretion coming from her vaginal area.  On your hob, you will notice that his testicles drop (hang lower from his body) and become larger. The hob equivalent of being in heat is a ‘rut.’  Your hob’s personal hygiene will take a nosedive when he’s ready to breed. He will urinate to mark his territory and even drag his stomach through the urine. He will also secrete oil to mark his territory.  Male and female ferrets that are ready to breed both develop greasy skin and become quite smelly. When you put the ferrets together, sit back and wait for the mating ritual to begin. Be aware that the ferret mating process is anything but romantic—the male will bite the female’s neck and even drag her around the cage. You may even hear the female scream.  The biting will look disturbing, but it actually has a purpose—biting the jill’s neck releases the hormones in her body that will stimulate ovulation (egg production). Jills are known as induced ovulators, meaning that she has to be bred to start egg production.  The mating process can take anywhere from several hours to several days, and occur over several sessions.  The ferrets’ violent mating ritual may cause you to want to separate them. Don’t do this! The male ferret’s penis is curved such that it ‘locks’ the female in place until mating is over. Trying to separate them will do more harm than good. After mating, move the jill back to her cage. If the mating was successful, she will gain weight and start nesting. She will also start pulling fur out of her tail and body.  Jills also make clucking noises when they are pregnant.  You can tell if the jill is pregnant starting about two weeks after a successful mating. You could also have your veterinarian perform an abdominal ultrasound on the jill, but this would be expensive.  Jills can have phantom pregnancies, meaning that they act as if they are pregnant when they are not. High levels of hormones can cause your jill to become bloated and look as if she is pregnant.  Keep in mind that your jill will need to eat more as she approaches the end of her pregnancy so she can handle the energy demands of giving birth and nursing.  If the mating was unsuccessful, try again. Jills remain in heat unless they are bred, which can lead to serious health consequences, including pyometra (infected uterus),, bladder infections,, and anemia. Your female ferret  must  be bred or spayed if she is in heat.


Problem: Write an article based on this summary: Read up on all of the fees involved in a visit to the Channel Islands. Learn the rules of the park.

Answer: The park’s website lists all of the expenses you’ll incur during your trip:  General admission to the park is free. Those wishing to camp on one of the islands will be charged a fee of $15 per campsite per night. The money is used to help preserve the park. Reservations must be made ahead of time, and can be arranged via the National Recreation Reservation Service website. Reservations can be made no more than 5 months in advance. Visitors who choose to access the islands by boat will be charged between $50 and 75 round trip per person. Children aged 2 and under travel free. Those bringing surfboards along will be charged extra. Reservations can be made either by contacting the park’s visitor center or through the Island Packers Cruises website. Visitors who elect to access the islands by plane can do so via Channel Islands Aviation. Costs vary depending on which experience you choose. Day trip flights cost roughly $150 to 160 per adult round trip, and $125 to 135 per child. Exclusive camping trip charters are also available during the summer months at a cost of $300 per person (minimum 4 campers), $1,600 for a seven-passenger charter from Camarillo, and $2,000 for a seven-passenger charter from Santa Barbara. As with most national parks, Channel Islands has restrictions on where visitors can go, and what they can do. For example, Channel Islands emphasizes limiting visitors’ footprints during their stay. Visitors are asked to avoid areas where animals are nesting, limit the use of artificial light at night, and stay out of caves altogether. The park website contains a detailed list of restrictions and allowances; studying these is an absolute must for anyone planning to make a visit.


Problem: Write an article based on this summary: Take responsibility for your part. Acknowledge that they’re hurt too. Try to understand their perspective. Move past blame.

Answer: As difficult as it may be to come to terms with, the first step to reconciling with your estranged parents is acknowledging the part you may have played in losing touch with them to begin with.  Don’t blame yourself for the rift that developed, but be willing to acknowledge and accept that some of the blame may be yours for the time you’ve spent apart. The only way you and your parents will be able to reconcile is if you are each willing to shoulder some of the responsibility. It can be difficult to empathize with the pain of estranged parents.  You may still have some very difficult feelings to work through, and when something or someone hurts you, it can be difficult to see beyond our own pain.  Remember that sometimes the decisions we make when we’re hurt aren’t always good ones. Losing touch with a child can be especially painful, even if they don’t act like they’ve been hurt.  Remember that not seeing the pain doesn’t mean it wasn’t there. Understanding what your parents were going through when you stopped communicating can help you forgive them, and appreciating what they may be experiencing now will make it easier to find common ground when you meet.  Your parents may have been experiencing a low point in their lives when you stopped talking.  Remember that parents are nothing more than people, and people struggle with internal and external challenges. All of the feelings of fear and anxiety you have about reconciling with your parents are probably going through their heads too. This is an important step that you will need to come to terms with at your own pace.  You parents may have done things that truly hurt you, but by trying to consider their perspective and acknowledging that they have felt pain regarding losing you may help you to overcome the desire to blame them.  Remember that blame won’t solve anything now, only love can.  Acknowledge that you and your parents all share at least some responsibility for losing touch, but that doesn’t mean blame needs to be assigned. Instead of placing blame, focus on the future and how good it will feel to have your parents back in your life.


Problem: Write an article based on this summary: Wet your hair with warm water or take a warm shower. Apply a liberal amount of shampoo to your hair and massage gently. Run a fine-toothed comb gently through your hair. Use conditioner on your hair.

Answer:
Massage the painted parts of your hair with your fingertips to soften any hardened sections.You could also take a bath to allow your hair to soak in the warm water for several minutes. No special shampoo is required – you can just use your normal product. Let the shampoo sit for about 10-20 minutes before washing off. Try to comb out the sections of paint that have now softened. You may want to clean the comb periodically with your fingers and set aside the bits of paint so that they don’t clog the drain. Saturate the hair with conditioner to help restore some of its moisture. Let it sit in your hair for at least three minutes before rinsing so that your hair has a chance to soak up the conditioner’s oils.