I think that some people missed that well-experienced individuals who HAVE
had first-hand interactions and assessments of the breeders' lines under
recent discussion have mentioned problems noted -- often with more than one
mentioning the same things here and on other lists, and that there have
also been comments by some who saw what living conditions were, and others
by some who read the past diet.  These are first-hand for PAST situations,
not hear-say or rumor, nor are they necessarily present situations, let
alone future ones.  I think everyone understands that.  What is being
expressed in pretty much everything I've read here and elsewhere is a
desire that certain documented or attested-to old and bad practises by
anyone already are or will be ended, that the lines which have medical
problems such as malformations be assessed careful and culled from breeding
when that is prudent for ferret health and happiness.  Those are reasonable
sentiments in which ferret health is placed first, and also pose a learning
experience for everyone, which further helps ferrets.
 
On the subject of another farm breeder: was glad to see that the list of
problems the USDA found at MF was corrected by '99 and remained corrected
in 2000.  Now, if we can get their shipping dept.  to consistently be more
careful during certain times of the year, urge the use of vets rather than
techs for sterilizations, etc. ... Would LOVE to eventually be able to see
the revelation of these sorts of current USDA inspection reports for ALL
the farms!  Wouldn't you?  Wouldn't it be GREAT to separate out personal
grudges and rumors from real facts, and compare the entire lot of them on
a level footing?!?  Wouldn't it be dream to have none of the farms ship
before 8 weeks, and to have adoptive homes for all retired breeders from
any of the farms?  ( Wouldn't it would also be marvelous to have shelters
find that loving people are coming forward for the needy ferrets there;
no ferret is quite as loving and appreciative forever as a shelter one
who has been rescued.)
 
Of course, as you know, I am never happy about wire mesh flooring anywhere,
but all the farms use it and that's not likely to change at any of them; at
least the USDA is being careful to enforce reductions in the size of the
mesh, so that's a good thing.
 
Thanks, Leigh for making http://members.aol.com/lwhit16066/index.html
available!
 
Alicia wrote:
>as I read the latrest posts on jaw & facila deformities-- then read
>the genetic suspicions please please folks-- During the developmental
>process -- malnutrition serves to be the foremost danger in bone , jaw &
>tooth development.  This WAS the problem with bad food years ago for Path
>Valley, this IS the problem with many recent intakes at the shelter here--
>( twisty little noses, overbites--
 
So TRUE!  There are also diseases and other environmental factors that
affect development, so could be any of the grouping, which is why this
needs to be known in relation to these malformations, the rib-cage
malformations, and any others that crop up at any breeder's place no
matter what the size.
 
HEALTH, LONGEVITY, AND PERSONALITY FIRST!
 
Lisette,  your Old Man poem was good!
[Posted in FML issue 3213]