When Bill Killian talked about 'smaller' breeders, I didn't feel he had
'really small' breeders in mind, which is what most of those of us who breed
are.  Maybe hobbiest is a better term.  I can't believe that MF and PV are
the only 2 ferret farms in the whole country.  There must be others,
obviously on a smaller scale - this is who I thought Bill was talking about.
 
Howard Davis says MF jills are bred 3x/year.  Meg Carpenter says 3-4.  Dr.
Heller - who used to work there - says 2x, maybe 3.  That sounds more
realistic.
 
I am not condoning jills being bred 3x/yr.  But think about it.  MFF are
pulled away from their moms much earlier than kits raised by smaller
breeders.  I myself keep my kits until 10 weeks.  They are nursing for a
full 8 weeks or so.  Figure the math:  8 x 2 = 16 wks of nursing, plus
12 weeks for 2 gestations.  That's 28 weeks.  That's over 6 months - quite
a strain I think for a jill.
 
MF kits are taken from their moms at 2-3 wks of age.  That's less than
half the time we 'hobbiests' allow our kits to nurse.  So, 6 wks gestation
x 2 = 12 wks, plus 2 wks nursing x 2 = 4 wks....12 + 4 = 16 weeks.
16 wks vs 28 wks (that is, if we smaller breeders were to breed 2x/yr).
 
This is my 'uneducated' theory:  16 wks of gestation/nursing per year is
significantly less of a strain on a jill than 28 weeks of gestation/nursing.
Therefore, although MF may be breeding their jills more than once a year,
it may not be the strain we all think it is, since their nursing time is
significantly shorter than normal, consequently less stress on the jill.
Theoretically, she might be able to handle a 2nd pregnancy better than we
all think.
 
I doubt that MF breeds their jills back to back - although I have no proof
one way or the other.  If sufficient time elapsed from one breeding to the
other, then breeding 2x/yr may not be as bad as we think.
 
As far as MFF being "unhealthy".......my chronic ECE-problem ferrets are
PRIVATE BREEDER ferrets - they have not tolerated illnesses well at all.
My MF ferrets have handled ECE without permanent damage.  Mandy, my 8 yr
old, is a MFF.  I have 3 PV ferrets who just turned 4 - they look about
10 - Mandy looks quite young, has a great coat, lots of fur, and a good
layer of body fat.  Angel, another 4 year old MFF, is in excellent health.
Sometimes I can't tell the difference between Angel and Heaven - who is a
1 yr old breeder ferret - I have to check the ears for the tattoo to tell
them apart!  (They are both albinos)  I'm not convinced that MFF are any
more unhealthy than any other ferret.
 
I have no experience with German or Canadian ferrets - haven't even seen
one.... BUT, in recent years, MF ferrets are significantly larger than in
previous years, so that seems to blow the theory about early spay/neutering
stunting their growth.
 
I wouldn't hesitate to buy another MF ferret.  They have the greatest
personalities!  Isn't that what we all want from a ferret??
 
What blows me away is when people talk about ferret mills and MF being so
bad, and then they run right out and buy a MF ferret because they "couldn't
resist." "She/he looks reminds me of a ferret I had once," or "He looked
lonely in the pet store all by himself,"
 
If you really hate MF so much, then don't buy MF ferrets - ever again!
Those of you with MF ferrets - take'em back to the store - go ahead -
boycott MF - give'em up and don't complain.
 
Debbie Riccio
WNYFLFA
Rochester, NY
[Posted in FML issue 1309]