>From:    Andrea Garza <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: corner blocks and misc. ramblings
>He has a white face, and the rest of him in what I'd call a taupe color.
>His arms and legs are darker in color than the rest of him.
 
Champagne or cinnamon sounds correct.  Specifically I suspect a Champagne
Standard.
 
>From:    David Pradarelli <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: IAMS?
>i was told that iams was too high in protein for the fuzzies~
 
On the contrary, most of us feel Iams Cat in the orange bag is minimally
acceptable.  The higher protien and fat content of the purple kitten food is
better.  Totally Ferret is even higher and better still.  Ferrets are real
close to pure carnivores and need extremely high levels of fats and proteins
from meat sources.
 
>From:    Mark Zmyewski <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: Pet store selling RARE albino ferret!
>she said that the male was called an 'albino' and that it's "very rare".
 
Ask any breeder.  What is rare is the person that wants albinoes.  They are
definitely harder to place.  But they are also certainly among the most
common color/patterns.  (Normally called a color but technically its a
pattern in that involves the dispersion (or rather non-dispersion of a
color)
 
Call us what you want but that isn't really something to worry about.  It
doesn't hurt the ferret for the store to claim its rare.  With the usual
difficulties in placing albinoes the rareness might be an incentive that
gets the ferrets sold before its too old.  Of course the purchaser won't be
too happy if they learn the truth.  You told the pet shop folks the truth.
Now its their problem.
 
>From:    Gooblet <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: Pet Stores
 
You are quite correct about animals in pet stores being whats called loss
leaders to draw folks in.  Pet stores are among the very riskiest stores to
open.  Higher failure rate than other store types.  Pet stores rely on the
accessories to make profit but so do stores selling computers (low profit)
and accessories (high profit), cars (low profit) and parts (high profit).
Same for manufacturers of these things.
 
>Yes they are, but I can accept a breeder's justification for the price of an
>animal when it includes such things as yearly genetic testing of breeding
>stock,
 
Nobody we know for any pet does this.
 
But as usual we are careful to point out the good sides and bad sides of
issues.  We obviously are biased being breeders, but we definitely agree
that pets, especially larger pets, should be bought from breeders if you
want the best.  But the best isn't for everybody.
 
But we like pet stores.  They have their purpose, even for selling dogs,
cats and ferrets.  Honestly how many of us on the list did not gain their
first exposure to ferrets through a pet store?  We never would have seen
ferrets if it wasn't for a pet store.  We've been exposed to certain breeds
of dogs and cats first at pet stores.
 
Live and let live folks.  Lets not get personal just because we have
different opinions on pet stores.  More options are always (almost) a good
thing.  Let others chose their own options.
 
>From:    bill and diane <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: FERRET KISSES & HIV/PIV != AIDS
>HIV has been seen in only one chimp we've been informed.
 
Better information came from others.  AIDS was found only in one chimp, HIV
can survive in some other simians apparently.
 
bill and diane killian
zen and the art of ferrets
http://www.zenferret.com/
mailto:[log in to unmask]
[Posted in FML issue 1832]