My observations here are strictly anecdotal, not data based, but
when you shelter ferrets for 18 years you see a lot of ferrets.  We
sometimes got a ferret with an oddly shaped lower jaw, sometimes
almost a cleft upper lip, and mottled coat color, more like large
spots than a regular pattern.  These ferrets usually did well, had no
problem eating, but did often have underlying anomalies that were not
directly visible, frequently cardiac.  They tended to be short lived,
4-5 years as opposed to the more commonly seen 6-7.  They were sweet
and pretty but i tended to watch them closely and adopt them carefully
(as we did all foundlings).

With regard to California, I say just shut them down and give them
back to Indians we stole it from in the first place.  The whole thing
is going to fall into the ocean one of these days anyway.

Bobbi McC

[Posted in FML 7432]