Anonymous,
 
This is not a flame to you, but I will disagree with you on some points in
your message.  I will not say that pet store ferrets are bad, which I know
that I'm in dissention to some of the people on the list about that.  Pet
store ferrets need good homes just as much as shelter ferrets do.
 
But what I dispute that you said is your claim that shelter ferrets are
"either old, sick, mean, and not any of them were neutered/ spayed or
decented."
 
First of all - you need to tell us who the shelters are that are adopting
out ferrets that are not neutered.  That is wrong and irresponsible in my
opinion.  No shelter that I know will adopt out ferrets that have not been
neutered.
 
As for "old, sick, and mean" -- again, I don't know what shelter you've
been dealing with, but on this Christmas Eve, I would like to take up a
little bit of FML space to describe just a few of the wonderful, terrific
ferrets that will be spending their holiday here instead of in a good
loving home.  I WISH I could find responsible people who want to adopt
their first ferret(s) from me, as a number of them have great personalities
but won't get along with other ferrets.  I'm not listing these ferrets as a
plug for anyone to adopt.  Just a lesson in what some people think shelter
ferrets are versus what they really are.
 
Owen and Moen will be spending their Christmas here at the shelter.  These
ferrets are about 2 or 2.5 years old.  They are playful, healthy, and not
biters.  Owen is a chocolate female, Moen a sable male.  Moen has this
adorable habit of his - when I leave the shelter room (which has a board in
the doorway, not a door) I turn to look back at him and he stands on his
hind legs - up high - with this look as if to say, "why you leaving me
alone, Mom?"  They've been here for nearly five months.
 
Tangerine is an approximately 2-3 year old chocolate.  She was found as
a stray in early July.  She's plump, an amazing kisser, and so adorably
spunky that I love to just sit back and watch her amuse herself.  She has
possibly the best personality I've ever seen in a ferret.  She's been here
so long simply because she doesn't get along with other ferrets, and is
looking for a no-other-ferret home.
 
Little Bitta Rita and Little Bitta Tina - these ferrets are barely five
months old.  They came straight from a pet store because they were
"biters".  These ferrets are not biters, they're lovers.  They get along
great with other ferrets, are in perfect health, and are everything that
you could want from buying from a pet store, but they've been socialized
and have learned what a litter box is.
 
Butter is very much like Rita and Tina - about 6 months old, adorable,
playful, goofy and cute, a tiny albino boy.  Loves Rita and Tina, and other
ferrets.  Doesn't bite, doesn't cause trouble.... just wants a home,
desperately (especially if it included Rita and Tina going too :o))
 
Cyrano, Biz, Jack, and Taz - these ferrets I wrote about in the American
Ferret Report a few months ago, they still do not have a home.  They're my
biggest "success story" I think.  I could write volumes on them.  Taz is
older - I will say that - she's about 5, and is blind, but is in great
health and is gorgeous.  She fell in love with the boys and I chose to
let her stay with them.  The boys are all chocolates - they were abused,
neglected, and didn't even have names- and they are 2 years old.  They
were skin and bones, and balding - not from adrenal disease, but from
malnutrition.  Within three weeks of being here their hair began to come
back (to produce GORGEOUS coats) and they all got quite fat quickly :o)
They have been here since the spring, and can't find a home because they
are a bonded group of four that I will not separate.
 
I could go on, and on, and on.  There are 30 ferrets for adoption here that
will be spending their holiday sharing runtime and attention from "Mom"
with each other, rather than in good, loving homes.  Of these 30, only 5
are "old" and only 3 need a little help in the biting department.  The rest
are just terrific, beautiful, healthy sweethearts that life dealt a crappy
hand to.
 
Back to your situation - love your ferret, of course.  He needs a good home
as much as any of mine.  But to say that a pet store ferret is "cheaper" or
"nicer" is wrong.  You said that he had his first shots - I hope you know
that you need to get two more shots on him right away, the first shot is
practically useless (others on this list will surely tell you that in
detail).  Shelter ferrets come completely up to date on their shots, so
no more are needed until the next year.  As for biting - pet store ferrets
are usually babies, and they usually need nip training more than any other
ferret.  And there are no guarantees, no matter where you get your ferret,
what ferret will cost more in the long run.  Young ferrets can get sick and
old ones can be healthy.  Any ferret owner needs to be prepared for medical
bills, you cannot assume that you won't have medical expenses, ever.
 
But do love your ferret- he needs you and you need him as well.  I don't
fault you for buying your first ferret - or any others - but please do not
give shelter ferrets a bad rap that they don't deserve.
 
Merry Christmas to all from our shelter ferrets: Callie, Troubles, Owen,
Moen, Alice, Chuck, Ellie, Cyrano, Biz, Jack, Taz, Kuala, Honey, Smokey,
Max, Snugglebum, Chance, Pugsley, Hayley, Sandra, Little Bitta Rita, Little
Bitta Tina, Butter, Cocoa Bear, Pookie, Connie, Bonnie, Tangerine, Salt,
Pepper (in a trial home - yea!) and last but never, ever least, Gloria.
 
Kymberlie Barone
Director, Pennsylvania Ferret Rescue Association of Montgomery County
http://www.ferretrescue.com
http://www.ferretclub.com
[Posted in FML issue 2908]