>From:    Maggie Mae Merchant <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: Maggie Needs Your Help
 
Let us know if we can help.  I've had to track down malicious email on the
internet before.  Different in that it was about us not forged.  We can
figure out a lot more about who sends email than most people suspect.  Its a
shame folks like to cause trouble...
 
If we can get ahold of the original email with all of its headers we can
track it down.  Let us know so we can help preserve all the tracks.
 
People don't know how easy it is to track them.  They think we have spies
<grin>
 
[Moderator's note: Unfortunately, if forged "properly", you might need the
cooperation of an en-route site... but that's a topic in itself.  But good
luck from this end too.  BIG]
 
>From:    Pam Grant and STAR* Ferrets <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: albinos traits
>The largest issue in the debate on the albino dilutes that I've not seen
>clearly stated is the fact that there are TWO kinds of ferrets that are
>white with red eyes.
 
>Albinos - which contain NO pigment in their skin or in their genetic
>background
 
>Red eyed whites - which appear in all physical appearances to be albinos but
>have pigment attached to their genes and means they can toss colored kits.
 
I've heard this before and don't believe its true.  All ferrets have "sable"
in their backgrounds.  Every blessed one of them - assuming they are derived
from European Polecats.  The albino as the original color from Egypt and
other such theories don't really make any sense.  Outside of polar regions
(well and deep in caves and in winter only coats) white animals just don't
usually survive until after they are domesticated.  White just doesn't do so
well as camoflage.  If interested I can give citations to resources on the
web.
 
Albino and albino begats albino.  REW *IS* albino.  Albinoes have a color
but you just can't see it.
 
The albino gene is in a different locus than the color gene.  All albinoes
have a color (or two if heterozygous).  If a ferret is homozygous in the
albino gene locus for albinism you have an albino.  The only possible
confusion is whether there are two albino genes or one.  If two - one is
full albinism and the other is a partial albinism.  If one albinism is fully
recessive to sable but overdominant to chocolate leading to champagnes.
 
>I've figured out the best ways to increase the chances of certain colors
>being born, but I gave up breeding for color LONG ago.
 
Too bad.  Too many breeders have because they don't understand mendellian
inheritance and it causes us to lose colors.  We breed specifically for
color sometimes.  All other traits have to be near perfect to be in our
breeding program.
 
>From:    Bob Martin <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: True Cinnamon
 
There are some who believe in true cinnamons.
 
Of these some who that the cinnamon is the dilute of red sable the way
champagne is the dilute of chocolate.
 
Other claim cinnamon is what other claim red sable is.
 
Those who do not believe in true cinnamons believe that all the red ferrets
went away with the use of better foods without food coloring.  These folks
also tend to believe that the apricot or tangerine ferrets are just albinoes
that have been reddened by food dye or the sun.
 
You can make any ferret red by giving it plenty of sunshine; such as making
it live outdoors without enough shade.
 
I'm not firmly in either camp as far as whether true cinnamons exist.  But
I've never seen a red sable nor a cinnamon.  (Nor a lilac nor a blue.)
 
bill and diane killian
zen and the art of ferrets
http://www.zenferret.com/
mailto:[log in to unmask]
[Posted in FML issue 1907]