Hey Victor,
 
Thank you for being so responsible!!  I am so glad you are doing
research before becoming a ferret owner, that way you wont become a
ferret abandoner.
 
It is true that it seems like ferrets get a lot of diseases.  Without
domestication the ferret lifespan in the wild is only about 1 year.  Most
of the diseases we see are from old age.  The life span in domestication
is 6 to 8 years average.  Yes there are a lot of cancers, but a lot of
old folks have cancer, same with blood sugar problems, heart problems
etc.  One disease almost every ferret gets is a malfunction of the
adrenal glands.  Some researchers believe this is caused by the diet we
feed them (not enough meat, too much grain) and the kind of light they
are exposed to (too much light) .
 
Over the last 6 years I have had the privilege of caring for 12 ferrets.
I still have 5.  The first I lost to a bad vet, the second and fourth to
an escape and unfortunate accident, the third to cardio sympathy, the
fifth to cancer, the sixth to an immune disorder that made her allergic
to food, the seventh to cancer.
 
Do they break your heart?  YES!!  Do they cost a fortune?  YES!!  Are
they worth it?  YES!!
 
Everything about a ferret is intense.  They have intense little lives.
They bring and feel intense joy, their play is intense, they require
intense one on one time and sometimes intense medical care and nursing.
They cover all the extremes.  Intense joy, intense sorrow, intense
frustration, intense love.  If you are an extreme person and have a
true love of animals, they may be for you.  If you want a casual, easy
going peaceful pet, Pick another animal.
 
I hope this has helped you in your decision making process.
 
HappyTails,
Karen and the Scruff You Gang
[Posted in FML issue 4530]