Having bred ferrets in the past I would like to say that 7 weeks old is a
good age for a healthy kit who is going to an enlightened pet store.  OK
now, for those of you who are 8 week advocates...please let me explain.
 
Kits are weaned and ready to go at 6 weeks.  As a private breeder I would
sell my kits at 6 weeks old, to their new owners, who would come to pick
them up at my house.  Kits grow so rapidly it is astounding!  Many are
quite wild and feisty and all have sharp teeth even before their eyes
open.  All need handling and human interaction.  While I think 6 weeks
is too young to go shipping a ferret clear across the country to a pet
store; I think waiting till the kit is 8 weeks, is to loose two very
valuable weeks from 6-8 of critical handling, socialization, and human
interaction time.  Missing out on handling during this critical point
of development might affect the personality of the kit for the rest of
it's life.  It can make the difference between a good ferret and a
problem/biter ferret.  Two weeks might not sound like a lot, but it is in
the life of a kit.
 
Large breeders like Marshall, who breeds kits in the thousands, does not
have the man power to handle and socialize each kit; let alone determine
which kit needs it more than the others.  It is better for them to go
to a pet store than remain in a breeding stock cage for another week,
growing without any handling.  I also think once in the pet store, it
is best to have them in an open top area (whether it be a large case
aquarium or play pen type) where people can reach in and hold them or at
least pet them every day.  This daily handling and human interaction is
very important to ferret kit socialization.
 
OK, to all of you who are now screaming, "what about germs?"  A hand
sanitizer can be provided, but all healthy kits that are vaccinated can
and should be handled daily.  It sound like Jules knows this and is doing
her best to provide the proper handling and daily human interaction
necessary for 7 week old kits.  She already knows the personality of
each kit.
 
Passing laws and waiting for a kit to be 8 weeks till it is shipped, will
not make any difference in a badly run pet store, or in a pet store where
the kits are never held or touched until someone takes them home.  At
least at 7 weeks they still have a chance of being bought immediately and
taken out of a bad pet store situation.  If any of you frequent a "hands
off" store always ask to hold each and every kit there, if they will let
you.  Spend as much time as you can handling and petting each one.  They
need it!
 
Yes, I am aware that most pet stores are no good.  Hey, believe me, I'm
no PRO pet store here, but I do enjoy Jules on the job tales.  If she
wasn't working there someone else would be.  They might not know anything
about ferrets and not care who buys them.  If every pet store had a Jules
working in it, then there would be a lot less impulsive purchasing of
ferret kits because they are so cute.  Sometimes the big bad pet store is
the only way to get a ferret.  It was certainly the only way for me to
get the two I have now.  Pet stores should always be a last resort.  I
think that a shelter ferret should be considered first.  Baby ferrets
should be bought by private breeders who raise one litter at a time,
however; sometimes it might be impossible to find a reputable breeder.
 
I know from past experience that breeding ferrets is one of the most
difficult things I had ever done in my life.  It was a lot more heart
break than I had ever anticipated.  Not all mating even resulted in a
litter and not all litters resulted in live births.  Of all the young
born alive, sometimes one or two would still not make it.  The
emotional cost was huge.  I will never breed ferrets again!
 
Pam
[Posted in FML issue 4661]