>From:  Anna G Ralya <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: What Pattern is this ferret?
>ten-week old kit with light chocolate brown fur, a-near white face (little
>mask), a white throat, white patches on her back two legs, white toes, and
>salt-and-pepper fur (white and brown guard hairs).
 
Look for a whiteline on the top of her head.  Perhaps only a spot or two
along where the line would be.  She is a Chocolate Roan Mitt (and a wanna-be
blaze or panda).  The white feet and knee patches are from the Waardensburg
genes that cause the blaze, panda and some mitt patterns.  True mitts are
black (often called silver).  The white mixed in with the dark is roaning.
This is also common in the blacks and is what causes dark, medium and light
silvers.  Some folks call the pattern of your new girl "Chocolate shaded
silver" which dates back to the old IFA days.
 
>From:    Chris Nielsen - AIS <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: Marshall Farms...
 
There can be an effort made by the hobby breeders such as us to cull lines
descended from ferrets with certain medical problems.  One problem though is
it is not determined whether it IS genetic or ENVIRONMENTAL.  Breeders can
not cull environmental problems, that is an effort by everybody.  But the
genetic tracing is one advantage of a quality hobby breeder over the larger
ranches.  I wish all small time breeders kept track of all their kits.  I
also wish I could keep track of all mine that I've placed.  Sometimes you
lose track of the people.
 
>From:    Michelle Z Matta <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: Sincere Question
 
I don't see a contradiction in accepting rescues that happen to be MF
ferrets but still calling for a boycot.  In human terms it would be the same
as not helping children who happened to be born of un-wed teeage parents.
The children aren't the guilty ones, the parents did the "bad" thing.
 
Not that I call for a boycott for the reasons you mention.  But lets note
a few positive things about MF.
 
Those who work to legalize ferrets particularly in California ought to be
grateful for the thousands of dollars Marshall donates to that effort.  I
got this through the AFA who shares a board member with the CDFA.  MF is one
of those good and bad forces that is far bigger than any of us or even us
collectively.  MF also supports small companies that try to enter the ferret
market.  Some halp was given to Performance foods (though little since MF
did want to do their own food).  Some companies such as Jeanne Carley's
Ferret Calendar company have had marketting agreements with MF.  This is
according to sources in the pet industry including some at MF.
 
What has not been mentioned by the folks really adamant about hating MF is
what really happened there.  The founders cared an awful lot about their
ferrets.  There has been a change in control there which has impacted the
possible care given to ferrets and details of "production" and "shipping".
Unfortunately the toll of the attacks on MF have caused the good folks to
leave but not the less good folks.  Things have gotten worse since the
attacks happened.  It is the lack of details such as this which make me
question some of the data from the strong opponents of MF.  This is fairly
widespread information and I would think be important to those who claim to
know what goes on at MF.
 
The AFA and others (including I believe Pam Grant) have tried to co-operate
with MF on allowing the retired breeders to enter the shelter system.  There
are a couple hitches.  There aren't enough shelters to absorb them all.
There would be such a negative impact on the business that MF can't afford
to place them under the plans so far devised.  If we co-operate and think
real hard we MIGHT come up with something.  Whether we like it or not,
almost everything in this world comes down to money at some point.
 
bill and diane killian
zen and the art of ferrets
http://www.zenferret.com
mailto:[log in to unmask]
[Posted in FML issue 1702]