Re: the MF percentages.  We've got some MFs and NEVER lost one of their's at
an early age so just can't believe that most die young.  (The two we did
lose at early ages were one from a backyard breeder who had liver problems
from birth (the ferret, not the breeder), and one from another large breeder
which had JL (ditto).) I'm sure some people have lost young ones from MF (as
from any breeder -- just as we did with those two from other sources) but
there just hasn't been data in any hard and fast fashion which indicates an
unusual precentage.  I know there have LONG been RUMORS about that 70%
number, but don't know anyone who has actually seen it in a home setting.
Until someone can give an ACTUAL reference this I have to keep noticing that
it just doesn't mesh AT ALL with what we've seen in around 15 years.  Sorry,
but that's just the fact; we haven't seen it.  (Yes, I am aware that a
number (but not all) of shelters have reported higher incidences of early
deaths in MFs and would LIKE to see a formal study of those shelters as
oppossed to the ones which haven't seen that since it could possibly
indicate an interaction of two or more components specific to MFs and to a
number of shelters and maybe give some interesting leads.  I am also aware
that a survey of ferrets-in-homes conducted here by an FML member (in a
sampling fashion similar to the shelter survey) found NO noticeable
difference between MFs and ferrets from other sources in survivability.
 
( BTW, I read the number to pet trade was a very clear majority, but LIKE
OTHERS here posting on this so far I DON'T have verifiable numbers to back
that up so take it just as an indication that someone should look into the
CURRENT ACTUAL RECORDS to produce a reliable number, nor had I ever heard
that they supply pelt trade which has very different demands than with pet
trade or research.  Is this a historic reference rather than something
current, or is this real and current?  Please, explain, and if it's not
known for sure could someone look into actual recent data on this?
 
This is not to say that there aren't MF practises I'd like to see changed.
They certainly DO have enough (plenty of) ways they could improve in their
methods and sales.  On the other hand, I don't know any firm reasons to
consider them the devil-incarnate, but I DO know that attitude just tends
to burn bridges when changes which would benefit ferrets are proposed.  We
need to help ferrets not find a flogging victim, and to that we need hard
facts and good solutions.  Let's stick to facts and to logical proposals
which would be more successful in getting changes there (or other places --
noting that the worst abusers in breeding tend to be foolhardy backyard
breeders (as opposed to logical breeders who cull breeding lines, don't
inbreed, etc.)) since logic and calm minds have the best probability of
helping ferrets.
 
So.  folks, here are the challenges: 1.  Give hard and fast numbers and or
references.  2 Pretend that MF is a public company and a group you represent
is a major stockholder there (In fact, if it is public or ever goes public
that's one way we CAN impose change.)  Propose some changes and explain how
and why they will benefit MF while they benefit ferrets.  This IS do-able.
For example: if sold to distributors when they were past teething slicing
cheek teeth the number of bad kit bites would be reduced, the kits would
have more controllable socializations so they wouldn't be as likely to be
messed up by ignorant pet stores (Yes, there are some.), there would not be
such alarming cases of people being turned off to ferrets by seeing ones in
stores with prolapsed rectums, the neutering could be done later and reduce
losses from surgery, and the ferrets would play together in an entracing
fashion to attract customers.  Let's HELP ferrets instead of just creating
rage which won't achieve anything, okay?
[Posted in FML issue 2103]