Thanks Meryl. My post was full of assumptions and they were vague.
It was just a fun post. But I don't want anyone jumping the gun and
believing things that aren't true, or thinking that I believe things
that are incorrect. You're post was clear, well thought out and I
appreciate it as I assume other readers do.

What I meant in my post was that ferrets are happier, act differently,
and seem to be in better general health with outdoor living options
accompanied with a more natural diet. I didn't say or mean that ferrets
have a longer life span per say and aren't free of common ferret
disease. Not whatsoever. I'm very familiar with the fact that European
ferrets get adrenal, insulinoma and lymphoma along side of ours. I was
supposing, from anecdotes here in the states and abroad, that there is
"less" of it. Many shelters and small rescues that have outdoor options
and feed a whole prey supplement (or base) each day claim to have far
less adrenal and insulinoma than others. Their anecdotes are worth
listening to because these shelter operators have seen hundreds, even
thousands come through their doors for a decade or more. When they
began, they fed older formulated kibbles with lower protein, etc,
and their ferrets had to remain in cages most of their day out of
necessity. What a few are doing today is strikingly different and they
claim to see a marked difference over all, mentally and physically. I
posted the video because it was a great example of that difference. I
assure you, if you saw video inside of a shelter of ferrets playing who
do not go outside or have access to natural foods, they look and act a
heck of a lot different in that video. I've seen Dianne's ferrets
before and after.

I want to now clarify something so, SO important to people and our
beloved shelter operator heroes. Their ferrets are better taken care of
than an average ferret. They are loved and treasured. They are catered
to in every way shape and form imaginable. We as private owners, look
to them for the standard of care in fact. They provide the American
public (along with our breeders) with expertise that most average vets,
biologists, etc, don't have. What they do, with little money, little
space, small or no yards, little emotional support from the general
public (not animal and ferret people), is phenomenal. And most are
alone or only have a spouse to help. Most work full time jobs. I can't
say enough. I know I'm leaving out important things here. Things they
deserve to be said.

The intent of my video was to show the striking difference that some
of us see due to a different approach to keeping ferrets visually.
Not many rescuers, sanctuaries, or shelters have the funds, time, or
property to provide any natural feeding or outdoor exposure of any
kind. And it will always be impossible to some. And that's okay. Its
better than okay considering what they do give those babies, which
as I said is more than a casual owner. Not many private owners offer
outdoors or natural feeding either!

Nature vs Nuture. It's a debate that has gone on since the start of man
kind. And I believe there is no clear answer because every individual
and every situation is different. There are just far too many variables
to compute. Sometimes one wins over the other. Sometimes neither win,
but the other compensates. And sometimes human interventions such as
early neuter trumps all.

Wolfy

[Posted in FML 7402]