If you aquire a female ferret and do not intend on breeding, she needs
to be spayed before her 1st heat cycle or around the age of 6 months.  If
a female ferret comes into heat and is not taken out by way of breeding
for a litter or by using a V-Hob (vassectimized male), she will run the
risk of aplastic anemia from being in a prolonged estrious cycle which
can/will kill her.  Ferrets that are altered early like Marshall Farms
and Tripple F ferret farms ( they usually alter kits between the ages of
3-4wks) run a higher risk of cancers due to the fact that they are not
allowed to hormonally mature enough.  If you female is 3yrs old, and has
never come into season ( her vulva will enlarge) then she has probably
been altered, especialy if she has 2 tatoo dots in her right ear
(Marshall Farms ID).  I hope this helps answer you question>
 
WEASLE QUEEN
[Posted in FML issue 5010]