Rudy and the lifespan issue:
 
Mary Van Dahm of FAIR in Illinois did a study recently on ferret lifespans
and dispositons to cancer and neutering.
 
Anyway, the generally accepted life phrase is "6 to 9 years".  My experience
is pet shop ferrets (altered at 4-6 weeks of age) live 5-6 years on average.
 Ferrets obtained from private breeders live 6-9 years, those being left
intact the longest living the longest.  Pet ferrets should be altered at 6-9
months of age unless they go into season earlier.
 
Diet is a very important factor to life expextancy too.  Ferrets fed cheap
cat food do not have a good store of resistance to illness and operations and
can die early due to an unexpected complication.  Ferrets fed quality dry cat
foods or ferret diets live healthier lives and have energy reserves stored
for fighting diseases and recovering from operations.
 
So, a ferret bought from a breeder but fed a poor diet could live just as
long as a ferret bought from a pet shop and fed a proper diet.
 
If Rudy does decide to do some sort of survey, STAR* would be interested in
the results, but would also like to help put out some of the questions.
 
Pam
[Posted in FML issue 1154]