>From:    "Melissa A. Boulineau" <[log in to unmask]>
>my Katana has a blue tattoo on her right ear, from reading FAQ's I assumed
>that she was a MF ferret...the Vet told me the tattoo meant that she had
>been spayed?!  I live in the state of Georgia where all ferrets sold from
>pet stores and breeders (to my knowledge) Have to be neutered and descented.
>I guess my question is, what does the blue tattoo mean?  And if it is a mark
>that means that she has been spayed, Tiki does NOT have one, any way I can
>tell if they have been spayed?
 
The *ferret fad* is relatively new in GA.  We've only been legally allowed
to keep them as pets since '91 (those were the good old day when we had
waiting lists of people wanting to adopt).  GA then legalized ferret sales
in April '94.  Before that time, owners were all considered criminals, just
like CA, & were underground.
 
They haven't been here very long.  Even today, when I carry one of my babies
w/me I get questions like, *Is it an opossum or a baby raccoon?* Not so long
ago there were only a few vets in the state (that I know of) that would even
treat them.  Even our vets haven't had contact w/them for years, or at all.
 
So you see, you're going to get lots of incorrect info about them here.  Let
me clarify a few points for you.
 
- Usually you find 2 tattoos (2 dots, & the 2nd isn't always easy to see)
  which indicates it's a MF frit.  I don't know why, but too many pet stores
  & vets tell you the tattoos indicate that it's been spayed/neutered &
  descented.  I can only assume that they come to that conclusion because
  all MF ferrets have tatttoos & are spayed/neutered & descented.
  Interestingly enough, most of the pet stores can't (or won't) even tell
  you who the breeder was.  Most pet store frits are brokered - by a middle
  man - who buys ferrets & then sells them to pet stores.
- GA's only requirements to legally own ferrets are that it is
  neutered/spayed by 7 months of age, & that it is vaccinated against rabies
  w/an approved vaccine by 12 weeks of age.  Imrab 3 is the only vaccine
  approved for use in ferrets & the only one accepted by the state - just a
  note because we've heard of incorrect vaccines being administered.  Pet
  stores & breeders are not required to spay/neuter ferrets if they are
  younger than 7 months of age.  Also, GA has NO requirements for
  descenting.  Regardless of what pet stores & vets are saying, these are
  the state requirements - I have hard copy.
 
If Tiki came from a pet store, take another really good look for a tattoo,
because most of our pet store frits have them.  If she doesn't have one,
then you'll know when she goes into heat & her vulva (her little private
part down there) starts to swell.  If it does, you can safely get her spayed
by a ferret-knowledgeable vet.  Don't worry about the legal issue.  A vet
can't even tell if a female is whole by looking at her if she's not in heat.
MOF, most GA animal control agencies can't tell a male from a female.
 
If she's not spayed, she's probably not descented either.  Descenting is a
personal choice.  It's expensive & unnecessary unless there's a medical
problem, like infection.  Keep in mind that only 2 of my ferrets have had
anal gland infections needing surgery - & they were both descented.  HUH?
Bet you can't tell which of my weasels aren't descented.
 
Juliana
Frodo, Rocks, Anola Gay, SNAFU, FUBAR, Tabu, Chaos & Tuxedo
[Posted in FML issue 1824]