Hi Amy!
 
Thank you for bringing up some valid points.  Newborn kits are especially
difficult to try to turn around, but not all together impossible.  I have
only raised two liters of orphaned ferrets (years ago while working for a
vet in college).  Here is what I experienced.
 
One liter of 8 was about 3 to 4 days old when I received them and in
fairly good condition.  6 of the 8 kits survived.  They had a good start,
and were able to receive colostrum from the jill.  The jill died (don't
recall why).  They were tube fed every two hours, placed on a heating
pad, given a "rice mommy," and assisted with bodily functions.  The other
liter was delivered via c-section on a jill unable to deliver all the
kits.  The clinic thought the unborn kits were already dead.  4 were
actually revived from the surgery (at the owners request to "save any
that could be saved").  2 of those 4 survived and raised by the means
mentioned above (one was aspirated, one was simply found dead at three
days).
 
Yes, they were tiny.  However, the clinic I worked for also helped with
wildlife, and often newborn squirrels that needed tube feeding.  It
wasn't a large difference.  Perhaps the survival rate wasn't that great,
but the kits turned out to be the most affectionate ferrets you could
imagine!  They were at least given a chance and not left to die.
 
I am not knowledgeable about shipping procedures of newborn animals, but
I did try to offer a dismal chance that that liter wouldn't be left to
starve to death.  At the time, I had no idea where the owner lived, and I
did my best to offer assistance.  Had the breeder simply taken the jill
and kits to the vet, perhaps I would not even be replying to this
tonight.  In my opinion, starving animals to death (without exploring a
medical intervention) is unethical.  We each take a responsibility as a
pet owner, for some as a shelter, and others as breeders.
 
Mellisa (Cid, Boo, and Hope)
[Posted in FML issue 4013]