I debated whether to tell the tale and risk starting an uproar or just
quietly fight a losing battle.
 
Last Saturday I decided to stop in my local Petco and check out the
ferrets.  I cannot afford to spend $100 on a ferret right now and would
prefer to spend my money on the care of the 2 that I have, but I still
enjoy going in and playing.  The Petco I go to is fairly good with the
ferret cage (yes, I think a litter pan would be a good thing, but they
do keep it clean and with food, water, hammy and toys).
 
Saturday, I noticed they had just received a shipment of babies, I mean
REALLY small ones.  I was admiring them, the colors and the size when my
BF noticed one that "wasn't quite right".  I moved to the other side of
the cage to take a look and was completely blown away.  I ripped the lid
of the cage (bet you didn't know you don't need the keys for those big
octogon shaped cages) and grabbed her out.  She was seizing.  Her feet
were out straight and she would arch until the top of her head laid down
on her back.  She was starved.  Her ribs were showing and her stomach was
sunk well below her rib cage.  Even her little face was all sunk in.  I
screamed for the manager to get some FerretTone or honey and call the vet
immediately.  He gave me the FerretTone and called the vet.  I was late
Saturday and they could not get the vet on the phone.  I had my BF run to
the store and get honey.  She did stop seizing, but not before the damage
to her little brain was done and she had aspirated.  I held her for 2
hours in the store (they wouldn't let me take her) and waited for her
last gasp.
 
She was so tiny she fit in the palm of my hand.  Her belly button was
still purple and not healed completely (and yes, it was a girl and not
a boy).  She was a Marshall Farms ferret.  Tatoos on the ear and one on
the toe of her left foot.
 
Petco did water down the food so that the other little ones could finally
eat a hearty meal.  They gorged for 10 minutes and went into little food
comas.  There were two more in the cage that weren't much bigger than the
one dying in my hands and 3 more that were young, but a healthy size.
 
I only knew this little one for 3 hours, but my heart still aches for her.
She would have been a beautiful little girl.  She was basically a blonde
blaze (no stripe on head).  She had white knee caps and a huge white bib
against all that blonde fur.
 
I've written to Petco headquarters and told them the tale.  I'm not sure
what else to do.  Marshall Farms is a for-profit organization that is
certainly out for the money.  Supply and demand says that people want
babies - so they provide them - at a terrible cost.
 
I had to vent.  Say something for this little one that couldn't stand for
herself and tell her story.  She deserved that much.  too soon gone
 
  --Lynn (Jake & Fibi)
[Posted in FML issue 3777]