>From:    Monkey & Kona Schlossberg <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: Ferret growth and fur
 
Already pretty much answered these over on the Ferret-Forum which we get
throughout the day.  Don't want to through all of that again since there are
quite a few subscribers to both lists that don't need to see all of it
again.  Its got a different feel over there but still a great bunch of
ferret folks talking about all kinds of ferret things.  If you want to get
that list as well with its often much faster responses send a subscribe
message to [log in to unmask] with a body containing either "subscribe
ferret-forum" if you want the regular version of the list or if you would
rather have the digest version, your message text should say "subscribe
ferret-forum-digest".  My response had gone into things like genetics and
such.
 
>From:    Thomas Howe <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: Not a hypocrite!
>In fact the odds are that a pet- store bought ferret will end up on the
>street because of irresponsibility, so in a way you are rescusing this
>ferret by buying him from a pet store!
 
Lets confound those that consider us apologists for MF and pet stores
somewhat.  We do not recommend buying ferrets from pet stores.  (Nor cats
and dogs) But some of the hype about this issue seems to be spreading too
far.  We strongly urge adopting ferrets from either reputable breeders or
reputable shelters.  There are good and bad of both.  But even a bad shelter
is helping out a ferret that is already in the system rather than helping
large ranches which really don't deserve support.
 
But there are not really all that many areas on the country that have
shelters or breeders.  If you live in one of these areas than there is
nothing to feel guilty about in buying a ferret whereever you get it.
 
Plus there is always the approach Monica said which is quite fine.
>And hey who says you can't get the little silver ferret and a rescue ferret!
 
We agree.  Get the ferret that suits you from whereever you get it.  And
well get another and another and ...
 
The odds that a ferret bought in a pet store will end up on the street are
very slim.  Probably a bit higher than those adopted from a shelter or from
a breeder but we've never seen real good statistics that show this.  We've
seen more than a few shelter ferrets come back into shelters.  We've seen a
few breeder ferrets come back into shelters.  If most or even half of the
ferrets from petstores went into shelters, all the rescues would be
overloaded in about a month.  Lets use the statistics from LIFE which as
known MF haters would not have information biased in favor of pet stores.
Omissions are about beagles which being canines are not pertinent to the
Ferret Digest.
 
|In its March 1994 license renewal application, Marshall stated that in the
|previous business year it had sold [...] 82,918 ferrets.  [...] in the past
|Marshall spokespersons have said that up to 10 percent of its ferrets may
|be sold for research.
 
This means some 74626 ferrets sold in a year to pet stores with the vast
majority going to the US.  This is 6218 per month.  Pam Grant does her
survey of shelters that does reach most shelters in the country but you
won't find her records supporting shelters taking in even half of that
monthly figure.  If you also figure in the breeder ferrets and other ranches
along with the shelter returns you'll see that by far most ferrets go to
their original homes and lead happy lives in their original homes.  The
exceptions are the ones that get the most press.  Just like with airplanes.
You hear about and remember the crashes not the successful flights.  Its
very easy to pull the old animal rights switcheroo and by dealing only with
high profile notable cases and ignoring the average unremarkable cases make
it seem worse than it is.  Please continue to support your local shelter or
even help start one up.  Its really not that bad because most only bring
some dozen or so a year through.  One ferret a month is easy to handle.
 
>From:    [log in to unmask]
>Subject: No One's Attacking You, Hedgehogs or Sugar Gliders!
>Vicunas, llamas etc. native, originating in the U.S.  I don't think so.
>Sukie mentioned the Turkey and possibly Huskie and she's probably right, but
>these others......  I'm glad you're not with DFG!
 
Well we guess thats an insult allowed by BIG.  Boy is this getting stupid.
Most folks should remember what we actually said not what Jeanne thinks we
did.  She obviously doesn't care what was really said.  Hope she this
discussion isn't an example of how she actually works with the California
government.  It explains the CDFA actions.
 
>From:    Mark Zmyewski <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: Are ferrets exotic??
 
Depends upon whose definition you are using.  They are based on popularity
compared to dogs and cats.  Some state and local legal definitions say they
are and some say they are not.  By definition in Virginia exotics are
non-native wildlife.  Ferrets are specifically on the list allowed of the
Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries
http://leg1.state.va.us/cgi-bin/legp504?000+reg+4VAC15-30-40
Not that most want to type in an URL like that!
 
We've just had to deal with this issue with Prince William County VA.  We
won.
 
bill and diane killian
zen and the art of ferrets
http://www.zenferret.com/
mailto:[log in to unmask]
 
[Moderator's note: I note that Bill Killian's idea of what constitutes an
insult seems to be different than mine!  BIG]
[Posted in FML issue 1848]