Gina-

I know that some on this list will disagree with me, but my *personal
*experience is that on average Marshall's live about as long as other
ferrets. I've had a total of 22 ferrets in the last 10 years. 15 of
them have gone to the bridge. All but four of them have been Marshalls.
The four I got from private breeders were all allowed to reach their
first season before they were neutered. In all ways, I've treated them
the same.

One died at about 2 1/2 years from cancer. (Frisky)
One died at about 4 1/2 years from cancer. (Digby)
One is still living, and she is about 6 years old. (Rory)
One is still living, and she is about 7 years old. (Cinnabon)

All of the Marshall's babies lived an average of 5 to 7 years, two or
three 7 plus (Angel, Buddy and Ginger). My *personal* experience is
that I don't really find any big difference in life span between the
Marshalls and privately bred ferrets.

I don't agree with early neutering, but not neutering is worse, leading
to aplastic anemia in females, and smelliness and aggressive behavior
in males. And some people just aren't smart enough to do what they
should. As evidenced by the overabundance of puppies and kittens from
unneutered pets in shelters. This is why Marshalls Farms doesn't count
on the average ferret buyer to neuter, but does it for them. I also
don't agree with descenting. None of my privately bred ferrets were
descented.

The sad truth is that all ferrets share a common set of genes with
European polecats. The average age of death in a European polecat is
two to three years. Our ferrets have at least doubled their life spans
by becoming domesticated. Our babies just naturally DON'T live long
lives, even with the best of care. Dogs and cats live much longer. That
is just the natural way of things. While I don't agree with Marshalls
doing the early neutering, I don't have personal evidence that it makes
that much difference in their life spans.

Melodyt and the slinky six
[Zipping up her asbestos underwear--just in case]

-- 
Melody Tomaszewicz
Holdings Record Maintenance Team Leader
New Brunswick Libraries
Distributed Technical Services
Rutgers University
Email: [log in to unmask]
Phone:  (732) 445-3856 ext. 313

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"Eagles may soar, but weasels don't get sucked into jet engines."

[Posted in FML 5440]