Urban's comments about banning pet stores from selling ferrets in his home
country raises some interesting thoughts in my own head.
 
We've all heard the stories about ferrets that were improperly, sometimes
atrociously, cared for, and we've all seen animals who showed signs of
being abused.  I think this problem is particularly rampant with ferrets
because they're so time-intensive and because their (undeserved?) status
in our society as "exotic" pets tends to make them attractive to people
who just want something cool and different, not a wonderful companion
animal.  I have a friend who has a young male she adopted from someone who
had no idea how to take care of him and wasn't likely to put out the
effort to learn; Diane offered Rocky's first owner
anything he wanted in exchange for him, if I remember the story right, in
order to provide a decent home.
 
Anyway, all this makes me wonder if banning pet stores from selling
ferrets might be a good idea.  Not because of any characteristic of the
ferret, besides the need to spend a lot of time and effort caring for
them, but because pet stores will sell to anyone and often can't support
the animal properly.  A good friend of mine works at a pet supply store,
and once had someone come in who had just bought a ferret at the local Pet
Docktor (sp?) in the mall and had been told they were members of the cat
family, therefore he would feed his ferret cat food instead of the
excellent ferret food they sell.  Also, every pet store I've ever seen
sells Marshall Farms ferrets, which aren't as good pet stock (no offensive
to MF ferrets and owners meant) as breeder ferrets.   They also sell them
for much more money (I paid $35 for Scooter to a local breeder) and alter
them too young.
 
The woman I bought Scooter from would never have sold him to me had she
not thought I would provide a good home, and has been outstandingly
supportive and helpful in my efforts to understand ferret psychology, etc.
 Without Sue's guidance, the adjustment period Scooter and I have gone
through (he's my first ferret) would have been much more difficult and
less productive.  Pet stores just don't provide that kind of support most
of the time.  She even calls me occasionally to see how he's doing and
offered to take him back and give me another when I had trouble
bite-training him.  I would never have exchanged an animal like a broken
toaster, but no pet store I've ever heard of guarantees their animals that
solidly.
 
I guess my point is that I see no reason to buy ferrets from a pet store,
and every reason to buy from a breeder if there is one in your area.  I
think stopping pet stores from selling ferrets might be a good step
forward for ferrets and for their owners.
 
Chris and
Scooter the Weasel Without a Cause
 
[Posted in FML issue 0851]