Thank you Sheena and Pam for answering my ponderous message about the
possiblity of letting Tarzan, Minnie and Claudette have kits next spring.  I
have learned a lot, and am also in touch with Legion of Superferrets Ferret
Fancier's Fan Club in Seattle.  I am researching the lineage of my fererets
because LOS' leaders here have pointed out that inbreeding can be ruled out
if one of the ferrets lineage exists.  However, there are many other matters
to consider.  One leader told me that there are more than 100 ferrets in a
shelter in Oregon!!  :( I do not want to be part of creating any problems
for ferrets.
 
I guess I've been coming more from a perspective that assumes little chance
of inbreeding among pets, such as cats.  Before my birth family realized the
overabundance of cats in our area, and promply spayed our female cat (this
was years ago), as a gradeschooler I got to take care of my Siamese cat,
Sukie, when she gave birth.  She picked out her own husband from among the
neighborhood cats, a cultured guy named Tie Tie, who shared dinner at the
four-footed table nightly.  The kitten birth was a special time (Suki
followed me around and tried to have them in my bed, then moved them into my
bed while I was at school), and I always kept notes in my diary about each
kitten.  There were a couple horrers (a deformed kitten, a sick kitten), but
for the most part it was a source of joy for us.  The kittens were given
away (my mom didn't believe animals should be bought and sold) and I think
the homes should have been screened much better!
 
So this is where I'm coming from in thinking about breeding.  Claudette has
successfully had nine kits (Minnie is one) in her previous home and all
three are beautiful ferrets.  However, I'm considering the possibility much
more seriously now, in terms of not considering it - does this make sense?
I'm reading about what can go wrong and realizing that ferrets have more
complications than cats in birthing.  If there are so many ferrets needing
homes, perhaps my energy would be better spent fostering ferrets, or helping
out with the black-footed ferret program.  I am seeing good reason for not
breeding, especially if neither ferret has known lineage.  I'm seeing very
good reasons for fostering lost, sick and homeless ferrets, though.
 
Any comments are welcome, no matter how "harsh", because the happiness
and safety of ferrets is very, very important to me.  I love the LOS
logo, Legion of Superferrets where every ferret is Super!  (Okay corny,
but true!!).
 
Adopting older ferrets had been very fulfilling to me, especially my Perchy
and Schroeder Boat.  I'll never forget what a great feeling it was to bring
home Percy and Schroeder Boat from the university, where they'd been
anesthetized and used to train medical students for two years.  All day,
until I picked them up from the floor for lab animals (which smelled
horrible) where they awaited in wire mesh cages, each alone, I felt like I
was waiting to meet my new adoptee children.  I was!...  They'd lived side
by side but probably never met and played for two years.  When I let them
out in our big living room, with hardwood floors, they mucked and played for
hours, hopping and free, so joyful I cried in happiness.  Now they're so
loving and spirited - even after two years of non-love from humans (must
preface here to say the vet's assistant was very nice and the vet may be
too, for all I know, though I couldn't take care of lab animals; it would
hurt too much).
 
Percy and Schroeder send their thanks to the FML for teaching their mom
and dad so much about them.  Wally, Gadzook, Tarzan, Claudette and Minnie
say a big "Muck muck!" to all too.
 
Good wishes to all,
 
Lynn Mc.
[Posted in FML issue 1420]