>From:    Ferrets Unlimited Ferret Shelter <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: Rescues
>Ok, It is me again, and the grip I have it with the NAFA newletter (again)
>there was a little article about how one woman did rescues for the love of
>ferrets.
 
It does little good to talk to Chuck Scaggs through this forum.  (Much like
someone ranting about correcting the AFR a while back.)  Chuck's not here
(nor is the AFR).  He happens to live about a mile from us.  We tend to
dismiss much of his "Just Ferrets" as it is not "dealing with the same
reality" as most of us other ferret folks.  Chuck still refers all shelter
drop offs and adopters to us.  We continue to be members of NAFA.
 
Very few shelters manage to turn a profit.  None over the long haul - just
little spurts now and then.  Breeding is even less profitable though.
 
>From:    Kymberlie Becker <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: Post to Michael/Anyone know about Pine Fresh?
>I have a question out there to anyone familiar with Pine Fresh cat litter.
>I *know* that you aren't supposed to use any kind of wood chips with
>ferrets, especially cedar, but I've heard warnings about pine too.
 
Pine Fresh litter while in pellet form emits very little of the aromatic
oils (based on smell) compared to the wood chips.  I suspect that it is a
slight risk but much smaller compared to the chips.  Chips are normally used
as a bedding that covers the entire floor with lots of exposed surfaces
allowing the sap lots of chances to "escape".  Pine Fresh (and Feline Pine
as far as I know) do not smell nearly as much and are normally used only in
litter boxes.  I suspect that Feline Pine and Pine Fresh are made the same
way and are equally safe/dangerous.
 
What we normally use is the wood stove pellets that are hardwoods packed the
same way.  They don't have any of the oils.  We use Pine Fresh when in
confined spaces (like our van traveling to shows) as it "works" better at
odor control.  The stove pellets are about the same cost per bag but instead
of a seven pound bag of Pine Fresh the stove pellets come in about 40 pound
bags (or is it 50?).  Quite a bit more economical.
 
If Pine Fresh is bad nearly every single breeder and/or shelter in our area
is being bad.  I picked up on Pine Fresh 6 or 7 years ago before I knew
anybody else who even had a ferret.
 
Our cats though have rejected all pelleted litters - too bad.
 
>From:    Urban Fredriksson <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: Angoras/Cause of death in Swedish vs American ferrets
>What's interesting is the age of death at that hospital: Less than 12
>months: 15%; 1-2 years: 19%; 2-5 years: 0% (not even any euthanised); There
>were a few at age five but most were six or seven.  This doesn't suggest
>that ours are "old" when they're three, which I've heard goes for American
>ferrets, or is that perhaps just an artifact of reporting (<30% aged three
>or more get adrenal tumours; <25% aged three or more get insulinoma &c)?
 
I have a feeling the numbers between the two countries are pretty similar
between the late alters and breeders.  Its still anecdotal but suspect the
early alters are most of the ferrets that die a bit earlier.
 
As far as being old at three.  Not quite.  They get treated as "geriatric"
after four.  That isn't the same as being old - more a metabolism change
that is middle aged.  People that don't take as good a care of themselves
get "old age" problems as early as their forties or fifties but that isn't
"old".  The dire warnings of American ferrets getting cancers and dying by
age three or four do not match the ferrets I've personally been in contact
with.  My first ferret took a best in show at a show at age 5 years eleven
months.  That wasn't an eldery infirm ferret.  She passed away at 7 years
seven months - I didn't have a necropsy done.
 
>>Maybe your friends just got unlikely and got bad mother jills.  It happens.
>Perhaps, but I'm still waiting to hear from _anyone_ who hasn't had the same
>problem with all their angora mothers.
 
We've always recommended the less fancy ferrets.  Especially for breeding.
Are there reported problems with "pet" angoras that aren't being bred?
 
Problems being mothers doesn't imply that angoras are going to die young or
that they are horribly inbred monsters.  They do show that care in what
traits are continued in breeding lines are important.
 
bill and diane killian
zen and the art of ferrets
http://www.zenferret.com/
mailto:[log in to unmask]
[Posted in FML issue 1890]