I would have to say that "how many is too many" varies greatly with the
individual or family and his/her/their circumstances, etc.  My dear SO
considers 5 to be too many and made me promise "never more than 4 again."
Boy has *that* been hard -- it's been two and a half years since we've
had a baby in the house, and I am pining on a daily basis! -- but it's a
compromise.  So even the two of us differ on this subject. <g>  I would
prefer about 10, myself.  LOL!
 
As Debi Christy described, adequately caring for a high number of ferrets
is a big, big job, and they probably don't all get individual attention
from their caregiver on a daily basis.  To me, one person caring for 50
ferrets is a lot like one person caring for 50 children -- an orphanage.
And that's essentially what shelters are, isn't it?  No matter how hard
a person tries and how much time is devoted to the ferrets, it's not an
ideal situation for any ferret, but of course it's making the best of a
bad situation!!
 
I really, really admire the folks who run shelters.  In order to do it
right, your entire life must be devoted to caring for these little guys.
If this person you're talking about, Linda, runs a shelter, takes proper
care of the ferrets, and is willing and able to re-home those ferrets who
are adoptable, then he/she is doing a great service to the ferret
community.  If this person is a "collector," then, well... perhaps it
isn't the best environment for the ferrets.
 
-Tasha
[Posted in FML issue 3410]