>Subject: tattoos
 
Hagen ferrets have a different tattoo than Manitoba ferrets.  They are NOT
one in the same.
 
Okay - this is about all i know on the tattoo issue...
 
Marshall Farms tattoos their ferrets in the RIGHT ear with two dots which
look black and then turn blue as the ferret grows.  Since the ear is pulled
out and away from the ferret to ID it, sometimes the second dot is actually
on the head near the ear or it might be so close to the tip that it mioght
not bee seen.
 
The ONLY ferrets tattooed with one dot by Marshall farms are males that have
been neutered but not descented - usually lab animals.  Marshall Farms does
not release intact females at any time.
 
The MI / Ohio area has some vet and backyard breeders marking their ferrets
in the LEFT ears with two dot tattoos.  this is supposed to mark the ferrets
already neutered and descented, but there have been a few reports of intact
ferrets being marked this way and still have a tattoo.
 
Ferrets from Manitoba, Canada are marked in the right ear with a letter -
looks like it is done by hand and many times it is hard to figure out what
the letter is.  I have seen X, L, T and Z.
 
There are reports of ferrets being marked with double dot tattoos which are
NOT from Marshall Farms - anytime you buy a ferret in a pet shop, you should
ask to see the shipping invoice to see where they came from if it really
matters to you.  Marshall Farms sell direct, with the exception of Denver
Ferrets and maybe a place in FL.
 
Hope this helps.
 
Pam / STAR*
 
Hagen also tattoos their beasties.  Male left, female, right ear (??).
Anyhow, my (male) beast has this in his left ear:
                .....
                ..:..           (an H composed of 11 dots...)
 
To Pam Grant re: tattoos in ferrets.  In North Carolina, there is a
commercial breeder in Zebulon, NC, called Animals Exotic, which distributes
ferrets at least as far west as Kentucky.  AE ferrets have a red dot
(sometimes an ill-defined blob) in their right ear.  Because of the color,
these have frequently been mistaken for blood from biting/scratching, ear
wax, mites or hemangiomas.  The color misleads most people who see the
tattoo that it is something other than a tattoo.
========
Judith ([log in to unmask]) asked about ferrets with red dots tattooed in
their ears.  The local breeder here in North Carolina (Animals Exotic in
Zebulon, NC) marks their ferrets this way.  They tattoo the right ear with a
red dot, and their ferrets are sold neutered and descented.  I've spoken
with one of the co-owners a few times and know that although most of their
ferrets are sold in North Carolina and surrounding states, they are sold at
*least* as far away as Kentucky, so it could be one of their's.  The red
dots are often mistaken as blood, ear mites or wax, but it is a tattoo.
 
Both of my ferrets have the red dots.  Folks in the Triangle Ferret Lovers
group haven't reported seeing mostly sables, silver mitts and
cinnamon/champagnes from this breeder if that's any help.
 
--Jeff Johnston ([log in to unmask]
[Posted in FML issue 1675]