[Chris...I figured you'd want to split these mega-responses, so I have
manually split them...you probably have enough to do without dealing with
file-splitting too!]
 
PAMELA GREENE<PGREENE@OPTICS:
In regards to your ferret FAQ, section 3.9 on toys....HARD rubber toys are
not too good either. Small rubber balls, for instance, eventually crack and
chunks come off (Gimzo used to mutilate them after a while). We give ours the
soft ones with "safe" squeekers and just check them each day before letting
them out. Yes they put holes in them, but rarely destroy one.
 
I'm no expert (the FAQ is GREAT!), but we seem to do pretty well....
 
 
[log in to unmask]
Hey fellow AOLer! Sorry about the loss of Bongo. He has gone to dry-hosed
filled place of peace and cats to harass. I know how hard it is to lose a
little one.
 
Keep writing! I have sent a few letters too and have made some flyers (I'm a
graphic artist) for FA & CDFA to promote the March 7th rally in
Sacramento.....are you coming?
 
 
GBEEBE2<GBEEBE2@NVN
Jan Goldsmith is SPONSORING the bill, he IS NOT opposed!!!! Give this
politician a break, he seems to have brains!
[soapbox off]
 
In regards to ferret farms, I am under the impression that the big farms,
especially Marshall and Path Valley, since they sell to laboratories, have
"poor genetic stock".  I.E. Lab mice have to genetically uniform and MADE so
they respond to disease, etc. Many have said Marshall, who sells a large
percetnage (90%?) to Labs, has ferrets with higher incidence of cancers, etc.
It is also said that they don' live as long (on 4-6 years) I know will
probably stepping on someone's toes, but......
 
BTW: Sarah is a Marshall Ferret (two ear tattoos), is very tiny (healthy, but
the smallest, slenderist female I have ever seen) and we still love her. But,
due to these rumors, we will avoid farm ferrets until we hear otherwise.
 
CHRIS:
I agree with you on the Lab place formarding FML. I too don't like the idea
of torturing animals when there are CLINICALLY VIABLE chemical-based tests
for most of these things.
 
ALL:
Also, most ferret owners should know that the U.S. arm of the SPCA  does not
condone ferrets as pets, and has never raised a finger to help them. I took
public outcry to get a large automaker (was it GM?) to stop using LIVE
ferrets in head-safety tests--i.e. take one ferret, strap him down, and ram
him into something hard and immobile. These folks are on my "s**t list" for
that one (both the automakers and SPCA).
 
Trivia: United States has generally weak genetic stock in ferrets. In Europe,
they can live as long as cats and generally are BIGGER (as if you thought
males weren't big enough). My guess, though I'm no expert, is that their
quasi-legal status (even where they are legal) and the breeding if
genetically-uniform lab animals which are then sold as pet, has contributed
to this problem in the U.S.
 
[Posted in FML issue 0739]