I am no health expert, but I've had a lot of time with animals - about 50
years.  Quarantine your new arrivals?  Yes, but remember that means
changing clothes, taking a bath, etc between.  Practical?  No.  My vet.
admits that most home efforts of quarantining animals are pitiful farces
at best.  Disease can be airborne, carried in your hair, on your skin,
clothing is a great way to transmit disease.
 
The very best way to prevent bringing home disease is to buy from a
reputable local breeder.  See the other animals, see the premises, really
look !  I'm not saying pry into every room in the house - just see how
clean the cages are, listen for coughs and sneezing, watch the other
ferrets attitudes.  And on your way home, if at all practical, stop and
have your new purchase evaluated by a vet.
 
Even after all this there is no way to find out (short of maybe a blood
titer count) of finding out it your new purchase is a carrier.  The only
good thing about having a carrier is that those ferrets that survive the
disease will not be subject to getting it again.  Small consolation when
your most beloved ferrets crosses the Rainbow Bridge.
 
Just one more thing!  Ten days is not nearly long enough to quarantine (or
attempt to quarantine) a new arrival.  If the animal was recently exposed,
it may take up to a month for certain illnesses to express themselves.
Other problems such as ear mites, fleas, mange, and ringworm, may not be
easily visible for a short period of time, too.  So be careful my friends -
that is a very unfriendly world those little mass produced ferrets come
from.
 
Oh yes.  Don't bother to flame me about the mass produced line.  The
animals themselves had nothing to do with it or their living conditions.
They are not to blame.
 
Just as long as people keep buying (rescuing) ferrets from the pet stores,
the money keeps pouring into the coffers of the mass producers.  And said
mass producers could care less about the FML and all the complaints that
are passed around, while they are enjoying the benefits of said money.
Vicious circle but there it is!  One we have created ourselves by buying
ferrets produced just for sale.
[Posted in FML issue 2543]