Hi! Maree wrote about New Zealand Ferrets:
 
>... it drew my attention that she appeared to be different to a lot of
>American ferrets and it appears this line of New Zealand ferrets is
>generally larger than most domestic American ferrets.  I have done lots of
>"asking around" (not very scientific, I know) to breeders and fellow
>ferret owners and it appears that none!!!  of them have experienced
>adrenal diseases and the life expectancy seems to be 8 - 12 years of age.
 
By the sounds of it, you bought Jaala (lovely name - where did you get it?)
from Mystic Ferrets or Southland Ferrets.  At the NZFA (New Zealand Ferret
Association) committee meeting a month or so back, I met up with the owner
of Mystic Ferrets, and learned that he breeds for size - could be why these
ferrets are larger than the American ones.
 
>This, and the fact that we have feral ferrets (similar size to my one), has
>led me to wonder if we have a hardier (I dare not say superior) line of
>ferrets here.
 
All ferrets think they're superior <g> as do all ferret owners ;o) That's
okay, they're all right!!  <g>
 
>I wonder if:
<snip some good points here, but I know I'm prone to rambling>
>has led to a line of ferrets which are less likely to develop adrenal
>diseases and perhaps other diseases which in turn may lengthen the life
>span of a ferret.
 
Okay, here's where I start spinning my opinions here.  I too have done some
of that non-scientific study, and have heard of only ONE potential
(unconfirmed as yet) adrenal case ever, in the country.  However, I have
also heard that New Zealand ferrets (Mystic Ferrets used to export to the US
and is looking at it again) over in the States ALSO get Adrenal
problems/insulinoma etc.  So, if this is the case, it can't (that I'm aware
of) be genetics... I may be wrong, I know very little about the way animals
and ferrets in particular are "put together" and even less about their
innards!!  However, I do agree, that the environment MAY be a factor
-whether anyone has taken this into account, I'm unaware of.  All I know is
that when my ferrets come in from being in their outdoors cage at the end of
summer they are healthy, happy, and spritely.  At the end of winter when
they go out they are still healthy and happy, but definitely not as
spritely... after a few days outside again, they seem to get back into their
former spritely selves... I've had few health problems since I've taken to
letting them stay outside for the summer.  Whether this change is the dirt
they dig in, the breeze, or the sunlight, or a mix of them all, or something
ELSE... I don't know, I just know what I've seen.
 
>It breaks my heart to hear about the thousands of ferrets which develop
>adrenal diseases in America and cant help but wonder if a new focus upon
>introducing new bloodlines/genes to the breedng programmes of domestic
>ferrets could help decrease the prevalence of these such diseases.
 
I feel the same way, but no-one has PROVEN it's genetics, early
neutering/descenting, environment, or what have you.  Nothing has been
proven as to why these conditions are so prevalent.  At least not to my
knowledge... If it was conclusively proven to be genetic, then at least
people would know a way to stop it in the future.
 
>As an aside about domestic ferrets hunting rabbits.  <...snip more>
 
My Podo, when I got her, was six months old, severely malnourished, and
fed only on rabbit carcass, and only what she could snatch from her
siblings/mother.  Now, she's healthy and happy, and although I did have
Netherland Dwarf rabbits, my rabbit was the one that did the chasing!!
Imagine one tiny dwarf rabbit, and a small dwarf at that... chasing five
adult ferrets ALL of whom were 2-3 sizes (minimum) up from him... hehehe
Wish I had a video camera.
 
>As another aside, how do they physically desex a 6 week old female ferret,
>I was surprised to see no scar from any surgery but feel confident the
>proceedure did take place.  Is it done internally?
 
Very carefully, with very 'light' anasthaetic, and the same as any spey
operation.  I've heard of people getting rats desexed... the same as any
animal, just a LOT smaller - and therefore harder.  I'm not a vet to tell
you in detail, but...
 
Good luck with your Jaala, have a great day :o)
 
Sam
Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful
committed people can change the world.
Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.
Margaret Mead
 
If everyone got together ferrets would be treated fairly.
[Posted in FML issue 2213]