First of all the post I was replying to said that the reason they wanted
to alter their hob was to stop him smelling.
 
     ...................
 
>There are many more reasons than smell to have an animal spayed or
>neutered... whether a ferret, dog, cat or horse.
 
I had no idea that this board was a cat, dog or horse site, as far as I
found some species can not be related to ferrets.  I have found that if
someone can not find enough evidence on a given subject they then start
quoting from other species
 
>For ferrets specifically, do a Google search on "aplastic anemia" to
>learn a very compelling reason to have a non-breeding jill spayed.
 
I have read many books on ferret illnesses, even after reading these
books I am still not convinced that my ferrets would be any better off
and it is the conclusion from myself and friends that the animals we
keep are not ferrets but some other species.
 
I find this quite odd as that you should find that the "temperament and
behaviour" of my animals should change, whilst as far as I can see it
appears not to have changed even if they are all intact and as for it
making "neutering a worthwhile procedure" I can only once again point
out that the temperament and behaviour of my animals have not changed,
so maybe you can explain why that should be so.
 
>Unless a domestic animal is being bred, or -- in the case of
>livestock -- planned for butchering before or shortly after sexual
>maturity, there is very little compelling reason to keep any male
>animal intact
 
There are many domestic animals around the world which are not bred from
yet they are kept intact as the owners see no reason for altering their
animals and what has "livestock" got to do with ferrets, how can you
compare a bovine or any other herbivore with that of a carnivore.  Lets
talk about facts here ... very few animals that are classified as
livestock are slaughtered before their testicles drop ... this is because
once their testicles drop they can then be castrated ... once they are
castrated they then pile on the weights and are then sent to live stock
sales to end up on the butchers slab, how many ferrets end up on butchers
slabs?  ... the female of these other species are never altered so why
bring livestock in to this post.
 
>and female animals who can be spayed affordably should be as well,
>especially in the case of ferrets where a jill can develop fatal anemia
>if she's not bred when she comes into season."
 
None of my ferret jills are spayed most have never been bred from and
most are 9+, I and other friends have not seen any of this "fatal anemia"
of which you are talking about or anything of the long list of illnesses
that ferret owners in the USA seem to think is all part and parcel of
keeping ferrets.
 
As our ferrets are healthy and full of life when can we exspect our jills
to the get this "fatal anemia" that you are talikng about, just so that
we can keep our eyes open for it.
[Posted in FML issue 4747]