I'd have to say go for "Modern Ferret" http://www.modernferret.com and
the "American Ferret Report" (which comes automatically when you join the
American Ferret Association) http://www.ferret.org FIRST, but we've also
been reading "Ferrets" recently and it HAS improved a lot (though it's not
our preferred read).  It would make a decent addition after the other two.
 
Note: I STILL hear complaints from those who write for "Ferrets" about the
editors at "Ferrets" and their publishing house's other publications not
understanding things and sometimes (though not as often as before) still
altering things badly; comes of having a number of ferret-experienced
friends with whom I communicate.  This problem HAS decreased given the
reduced frequency of complaints, though it's not eliminated by any means --
yet, the accuracy is much better than it had been.  There are difficulties
which arise from having people who are NOT ferret-experienced doing
accuracy checks and editing -- difficulties which can sometimes be serious
ones.  Accuracy counts for a LOT.  In contrast, "Modern Ferret" and the
"AFR" ARE run by people with good ferret experience; that is worth a great
deal.  Steve and I care about that.
 
Besides accuracy, one thing that matters a lot to Steve and me is that the
folks at both Modern Ferret and the AFA ("AFR") do a HUGE amount in their
spare time to help ferrets and always have done such kind things, while we
have not heard of the folks at "Ferrets" making such efforts.  That counts
for a lot; the people at "AFR" and "Modern Ferret" LOVE ferrets rather than
thinking of them merely as a handy profit center.  Charitable works to
help the animal mean a great deal to us.  We don't consider "Ferrets" as
caring away from work.  (In fact, neither of us can recall EVER having
heard/read/seen ANY charitable things that the "Ferret" editors and
publishers have done for ferrets in their own time and on their own dime,
so if anyone knows of any, please, educate us all.)
 
"Ferrets" has improved a very great amount since it began when it was
pretty well horrendous; it's certainly worth buying as an additional
magazine, but it would NOT be our first choice if monies were limited, nor
would we buy it in the follow situation.  It's sounds silly, perhaps, but
given the problems which have existed so often with "Ferrets" we would NOT
buy "Ferrets" if we could not also get the other two.  Just would NOT.
That's because we strongly suspect that if they didn't have the accurate
publications to keep them on their toes that they would back-slide badly
and possibly rapidly.  We suspect that the survival of "Modern Ferret" and
the "American Ferret Report" might even be essential to the survival of
"Ferrets" since we've heard others with the exact same fears, and suspect
the public might dump them fast if they don't have the competition to keep
them on their toes -- unless of course, they just hang on by going from
novice to novice in such a situation.  That may not be as profitable for
them as staying on their toes can be, though, because when there is a
standard to maintain people who actually know more than novices would also
buy them as one of several magazines.  Novices won't spot errors, but if
they lost competition and their on-going problems (which arise directly
from having non-ferret people in charge) worsened then experienced folks
would dump them faster than a hot potato.  On the other hand, if they are
forced to stay on their toes by having competition then they can produce a
magazine worth buying.  After all, ferret people tend to have ferrets for
many years, often spend a lot up front, have expensive equipment, cover
foods which cost more than grocery foods, spend $250 and up for operations,
etc.  Obviously, at some point for most it will not be a matter of
selecting between magazines into which to plunk down $20 or $30 dollars,
but will get more like the car magazine situation in which many get
multiple magazines, so we suspect that the ultimate situation (even if they
haven't realized it) will be one where it is in the interest of "Ferrets"
to have "Modern Ferret" and the "AFR" out there keeping them on their toes
in relation to accuracy (and hopefully in relation to charitable works for
ferrets at some point).
 
So, if you have the money consider all three; otherwise expand your
collection as the years progress.  Personally, I think there is room for
all of them at this point and that as ferrets become even more popular it
will be even more in the interest of each to have the others continue (just
like with car magazines).
[Posted in FML issue 2948]