>From:    Catherine Shaffer <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: Colors, escapes, biking
>I'm not sure how Bob Martin knows that albinism exists on the same genetic
>locus as cinnaminism, unless it turns out that cinnamin is a type of
>albinism.
 
Yes, exactly.  It is believed to be a partail albinism.
 
>Cinnamin + cinnamin should then produce 25% albinos, 50% cinnamins, and 25%
>sables (chocolates, whatever).
 
Again, exactly - except only chocolates.  Hence my ideas on "over-dominant"
though that process has other names.
 
>Or have they somehow mapped the chromosomes and discovered this?
 
Nobody rich enough has an interest in ferrets that we know of.
 
>This confuses me because albinism is a trait that appears in
>all animals and thus seems like it would predominate over any
>species-specific coloration genes.
 
Well research palomino in horses and blue merle in dogs.  The homozygous
"palomino" is a pale sort of whitish horse as the homozygous "merle" dog is
a pale dog.  If my hypothesis is correct then the "albino" ferret is the
mustelid equivalent.
 
Albino ferrets are not sickly weak not albinoes in humans and many other
species.  Could be that it is not exactly the same thing.
 
>From:    Anonymous Poster <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: Yellow fur
 
Some folks believe that Totally Ferret with its high amount of chicken fat
has some inadvertant dyes that can turn white ferrets yellow.  It is not in
that case a health issue.  Sun can turn white ferrets yellow for some reason
just as it turn white paper yellow (technically a "different" process - same
result)
 
>From:    Steve Stem <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: Ants....too many to smush.  Sub Q Fluids?
>Secondly, although we are (thankfully) not in the situation right now to
>need to administer Sub Q fluids we would like to know just what do you mean
>by Sub Q fluids.
 
Shorthand for subcutaneous - beneath the skin.  Be VERY careful before you
give sub-Q fluids.  You can over do it in some cases.  We normally give
fluids the same way we give vaccines.  (a less clueless engineer)
 
>From:    [log in to unmask]
>Subject: SHOES!
>Now, my question involves shoes. [...]  Any suggestions on how to break this
>evil habit before Dax grows bigger and bigger and takes over the world?
 
Go barefoot?  <grin>  Nope haven't learned a "good" way to keep ferrets
away from shoes other than the obvious closing closet doors.  Doors aren't
always enough.
 
 -----
Some really good news!  Well to us anyway...
 
There is a new gameshow in production for Nickelodeon that sought out our
daughter specifically.  They WANTED a "kid" that was very involved in
ferrets!
 
Taping was today.  The show premeirs in July.  We'll let everyone know the
detailsas soon as we know on air date.
 
We'll let Courtney (who is as I write getting ready to fly back to Virginia -
 they tape at Universal studios in Florida) tell the stories of the taping.
I'll let it slip that it went GREAT!  Everyone loved the ferrets and
Courtney!
 
bill and diane killian
zen and the art of ferrets
http://www.zenferret.com/
mailto:[log in to unmask]
[Posted in FML issue 1911]