I've not been reading due to time, but heard about, read and had to respond
to the person who is of the opinion that shelter ferrets are not good
ferrets for the first time owner, and bite, etc.
 
I'm sorry that whatever shelter you checked out is apparantly not taking
care of their ferrets.  But that is *not* how most shelter ferrets, and
shelters, are.
 
*Most* shelters, at least the ones I know of, will *not* adopt a ferret
out *unless* it had been spayed/neutered, had been retrained to not bite,
if it was biter, and the operators of a shelter take care in placing
special needs ferrets...the ones that have been so badly abused as to
have permanant problems... most of them end up permanant residents of the
shelters.
 
In the U.S., it's sad to say, but probably the majority of ferrets will end
up with insulinoma, adrenal, or both.  Won't matter if you get it from a
shelter or a pet store.  In fact, many shelters are *packed* with older
ferrets that have *had* the surguries needed for adrenal/insulinoma, and
are healthy, or take just a bit of medication, and the reason they're not
adoptable is because *people don't want them*.  *Many* ferrets in the
shelters are happy and healthy, but a *bit* older...like two years old and
over.  They haven't been abused such as so they have severe mental and
behavioural problems...they have simply been abandoned.
 
All four of my current ferrets are shelter ferrets.  One is pushing 6 or 7,
unsure of exact age, and yes, she has adrenal and insulinoma, as well as
ulcers.  But she's doing well, and is nowhere near death's door.  Tempest
with his bone tumor is a *very* rare case.  And he's happy and healthy
after the tumor removal...which gave my vet the experience she needed to
perhaps save other animal's lives too.  Buddy and Polly are both happy and
healthy.  The kit I bought from a pet store...a Marshall Farms kit...died
at the age of 3 months either from congenital heart failure or
lymphosarcoma.  Also a rare event like Tempest, but she didn't live, her
death was horrible and traumatic, and just proves that getting a ferret
from a pet store is *not* a garuntee that even at a young age a ferret
won't develop some illness that will kill them.
 
I have had other shelter ferrets that have died (*all* animals eventually
pass away), but those I adopted *knowing* that I would be their last home
for a few months.  Rocky was my ambassador ferret.  He stayed in a 3-4 year
old child's lap for over half an hour...I was surprised they would stay
still that long...both the child and the ferret!  He brought joy to the
dying husband of my friend and landlady.  Stephan wouldn't smile for days,
see Rocky, hold Rocky (one of the supposed viscious biting shelter ferrets)
and smile.
 
Shelter ferrets are frequently *very* loving and bond well.  They are
intelligent animals, as all ferrets are, and many seem to understand and
be grateful for the home they are given.  (Don't expect them to *not* act
like ferrets and do ferret things though!)
 
You say that there are good and bad pet stores...you are quite right.  But
why, if you defend pet stores, are you not willing/able to realize the same
about shelters?  A responsible shelter operator not only gives the ferrets
in their care the care they need...including medical care, rehabilitation
for biters (either from simple lack of training or from abuse), etc....but
also offer support and guidance to new owners, and do their best to match
an adopted ferret's personality with the needs/lifestyle of the person
adopting.  The shelter that I got three of the four ferrets from would
simply not adopt out an into-everything-always-on-the-go kid with a
family/person whose lifestyle would mean that the ferret would only be out
of the cage a few hours a day.  Neither the ferret or the people would be
happy.  The people would be matched with a more laid-back ferret.  This is
one thing that can be a distinct advantage of getting a mature ferret from
a shelter.  *Many* pet stores will not take this kind of time to get to
know you so as to match you up.  It is a special one that will.  *Many*
shelter ferrets end up in there because the *pet stores* did not inform a
buyer correctly about how kits are.  A mature ferret who has already been
trained to not nip, and to use the litter box, etc.  is generally speaking
a *much* better choice for the first time ferret owner than the
high-energy, untrained kit.
 
I will continue to adopt my wonderful, kind, loving friends from a shelter.
They are not biters, they are not disease ridden any more than any other
ferret in the U.S.  I have wonderful support from the shelter mom, *and*
since she knew three of my four, when I am able to adopt another, she will
have an idea of which ferrets available will fit best not only with me, but
with my crew.  I am sorry you will miss out on some of the best experiences
you can have with ferrets with your rejection of shelter ferrets, and I
hope your opinion does not sway a first time owner into getting a kit from
a pet store...many of which, unlike yours, are not willing or capable of
offering the kind of support that the many good shelters (and there *are*
bad ones, don't get me wrong), will.
 
Sue
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[Posted in FML issue 2907]