>From:    [log in to unmask]
>Subject: Ferret coming into heat??
>If a female (jill?) was going to come into her first heat, how old would
>she be?
 
Perhaps as young as seven months.  Not likely before maybe 10 months though.
But it is that time of the year.  And yes jill is female ferret.  Some folks
take it to mean specifically an non-spayed female but this is not universal.
 
>From:    Anne Ryan <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: on Championshop shows and fun matches
>Have to agree with Zen on all points on this post.
 
Thank you for the support.
 
Though...
 
>LOS-NJ will no longer permit kit sales or adoptions of any type to take
>place at it's shows or on the grounds of same.
 
This is too bad.
 
>I hope other LOS divisions, as well as the AFA and other clubs will join in
>with us in this policy.
 
You will meet with a lot of resistance on this.  In ferrets as well as most
show animals, shows are where sales are made.  There have recently been a
few "bad" breeder/shelter folks doing things the majority disagree with.
But in general ferret show are a good way for shelters and breeders to get
their charges out in front of the public.  A breeder or shelter will get a
table and list as a vendor expecting that sales/adoptions will offset the
cost of the table.  Photos might or might not generate interest in adopters.
Ferret shows are where ferret people get together.  (Both championship and
fun matches)
 
Your club's policy differs from most if not all of the other animal events.
Doesn't mean its wrong, just different.
 
>From:    Serra Cane <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: noticing something new
>Her vulva MAY be slightly swollen, although I really don't notice much of
>a change from normal.... She is a MF Ferret, so I know she was fixed at a
>very young age.  Could the nipples be a sign that she is going into heat?
 
You did not say the age.  It would be very unlikely for a ferret to go into
a first heat at much over a year in age.  So far I wouldn't worry but keep
an eye on her for signs of estrus and for signs of adrenal problems.
 
>From:    Don & Janice Boyle <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: Depressed yet?
 
We are most certainly NOT depressed with the lot of most ferrets.  Some yes.
Most no.
 
>My vet told me today that last year in the United States that ferret owning
>households grew 180,000 plus.  Those of you in the know, know why this is
>depressing news.But please read on, anyway.
 
We disagree with this.  Basically the entire post.  It is insulting to blame
breeders.  We who breed do more than our share of rescue work.  The more
ferrets there are in the coutnry the more educated the average person will
be on ferrets.  The more ferrets there are the more veterinarians will be
forced to learn about them.  A minority of zealots that happen to run (or
claim to run - not meaning the authors) shelters are causing more harm
through such hurtful rhetoric.  Breeders are where ferrets come from.
Shelters are way stops later in the journeys of a small minority of ferrets.
We both breed a few litters a year and take in ferrets that need relocation.
 
Plese don't blame some of us for things that are not our fault.  Most ferret
breeders seem to be responsible.  Same with most shelters.  No need to paint
all breeders with the same brush.  If you didn't intend to then you should
have specified "not all breeders" or the like.
 
>For those of you who do not, I would like to tell you that the large
>majority, by far, of these innocent little lovies will end up in one of
>several unsatisfactory situations
 
By far means far more than half.
 
>Far too minority numbers end up this way, make no mistake of that.
 
How do you know?  You didn't say "it appears" or "we think".  You are
stating this as a fact.  What is your source?  We suspect you haven't
polled the 180,000 new ferret owning households.
 
Sorry for the ranting but it is really galling to be constantly harrased
by a few folks for doing what we honestly think is helping out ferrets in
general.
 
bill and diane killian
zen and the art of ferrets
http://www.zenferret.com/
mailto:[log in to unmask]
[Posted in FML issue 2218]