>From:    Pam Grant and STAR* Ferrets <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: Re: concerning bites
>Well, someone said they were, and since I have never met an Angora, I
>have to go by what others said.
 
The person that brought up the issue does not as far as we know own any
angoras.  If you would like to meet our angora let us know and we'll
introduce you.  We've named her "Dust Kitten".  Like all the extremely
energetic ferrets she is much less of a lap ferret than the slower moving
Americans.
 
There are a lot of rumors some seeming to come from those with a "business
interest" in stopping the angoras on where they come from.  A USDA agent
would not actually have much information on the Angoras but they do visit
basically only those who breed on a business basis as thhats the only reason
for a USDA license.  They might hear all kinds of things from those
competeing with the angoras.  We've had these rumors get back to us and they
seem to have been spread at least by allegation through this type of
channel.  We are definitely not saying that the agents are spreading the
rumors only that the rumors are claimed as part of the rumor to come through
that channel.
 
>I'd still like to know what makes an Angora
 
Thought you knew the birds and the bees.  Well the Mama angora meets the
Papa angora and... <Okay You are a breeder so I'm sure you knew that part so
we'll go deeper...>
 
Mutations occur on a regular basis in any species.  Most of these are in
parts of the DNA that have absolutely no effect on the animal or plant.
 
Occaisionally they do.  In the wild examples with the mutations that help
the animal/plant survive and multiply more effectively will spread.  If it
reduces the the survivabilty of the species it will die out thhroughh
natural selection.
 
But in domestics it is the humans breeding the animals that will often
decide what examples will be bred more.  In many places ferrets are bred
specifically as fur animals like ranch mink.  In the US up until folks
particularly Dr. Wendy Winsted decided to bring ferrets into homes as pets,
ferrets were work animals or fur sources.  They were research animals,
exterminators or "pelt manufacturers".  In the seventies they were brought
indoors which as we on this list know was a very good thing.  The rest of
the world is behind theh US in making ferrets just plain old pets.  In
Scandinavia there are still many fur farms and mutations and variations that
make for better pelts are selected by these ranches.
 
Some of the mutations that have been selectively bred for in ferrets are
albino, champagne/chocolate, mitts, blazes, dark eyed whites, large size,
small size, curly coats, the point or Siamese apttern, the solid/self or
black sable patterns.  As you see they are not anything to be worried about
in the vast majority of cases.  The short faces can be if taken to the
extreme that has been done in some dog and cat breeds if it affects the
ability of the animal to breathe.
 
One of these mutations was apparently one that modified the growth of hair.
Most Swedes have fur distinctly longer than American ferrets.  These were
even longer and had a lack of undercoat hair.  They also have unusual
nostril hair - sort of like cotten hanging out of their noses.  This would
not likely have promoted survival in the wild in polecats but in a domestic
this was "nifty" so it was selectively bred for.  Now we have angora
ferrets.  No big conspiracy.
 
>I just don't want another issue like wolf-hybrids.
 
The wolf-dog hybrid issue is exactly the same issue as polecat-ferrets.  The
wolf or polecat is the wild form while the dog or ferret is the domestic
species derived from the wild form.  Without man's intervention there would
be no dog or ferret.  Since there is a population of virtually zero polecats
in the US this issue will not likely pop up in the ferret world the way it
did in the dog world.  The ferret (furo) does not seem to be able to breed
with neither the steppe polecat (chinese/siberian pick a name for the
eversmanni) nor the Black footed (nigripes) the way it can with the European
polecat (putorius).
 
bill and diane killian
zen and the art of ferrets
http://www.zenferret.com/
mailto:[log in to unmask]
[Posted in FML issue 2053]