(sorry for the multiple postsings but having net difficulties and have
grown weary of retyping the messages as the connections get lost)
 
I work as a programmer for embedded processors.  I enjoy good gadgets but do
not like the idea of the embedded 'microchips'.  There are several
competeing ones on the market and do not share the same readers.  I
seriously doubt many animal shelters have all or even any of the needed
readers to scan the codes.  Even if they did all the contain is a number
that has to get called in to some large database.  I know that ferret
shelters running out of homes like ours do not consider the possibilty that
a chip would be in the ferret that gets turned in to us.
 
Anecdoteally I have problems with the medical advisabilty of them as well.
When several area breeders imported a number of ferrets from England chips
were embedded.  Our three have had no reactions but several others
apparently had troubles with the chips moving and irritating the ferrets.
Swelllings were noted and removal contemplated.  I don't know for sure if
any had to go that far.
 
I'd recommend tattoos if you really want to identify you pet.  Inside the
ears and on the belly or thighs I think are the normal areas.  Dog breeders
I know seem to prefer the tatttoos to any other identification method.  AKC
registered dog breeders consider proper identification very important.  If
an unfortunate accident were to occur to the breeder if not properly
identifiable the AKC registration for the animals would be lost and the
expensive dogs turned into pets.  This isn't the case currently in the
ferret world though.
 
bill and diane killian
zen and the art of ferrets
[Posted in FML issue 1447]