Hi all:
 
This is strictly a RUMOR, I have no evidence to back this up.
 
None of the pet stores around my state or the neighboring states
have been able to get ahold of ferrets this spring.  There suppliers
are all Marshall Farms, and Marshall isn't supplying.  I talked with
one pet store owner that I know well, and he said that Marshall says
they don't have any ferrets to ship, so he's switching suppliers.
 
The pet store owner mentioned that he had heard (RUMOR) that Marshall
Farms got hit by some nasty virus that wiped out over 2/3 of their
breeding population, and that's why they don't have any baby ferrets
to ship out.
 
COULD IT BE THE GREEN VIRUS?!?  HHas anyone else heard anything???
 
I'm sort of torn about how I feel about this... I've had the green
virus, and while I'd never wish it on anyone, I think on a global
scale, we need to get it out, into, and through our breeding population
such that hopefully mother's who have survive it will pass on an
immunity to their babies  such that the green virus can finally die...
 
On the other hand, Marshall Farms is dealing with a limited gene pool the
way it is, and reducing their breeding population by 2/3 really scares
me!  With a high demand for ferrets, and a low breeding pool, I'm sure it
would be financially tempting for them to inbreed to meet the demand,
which COULD mean higher incidences of cancer and other diseases in
ferrets (NOTE: I don't believe there is any concrete evidence that cancer
in ferrets is directly related to Marshall's gene pool or a limited gene
pool - this is just a theory that has been proposed in the past).
 
I would like to see Marshall expand their breeding colony by getting
some domesticated ferrets from other countries that have ferrerts.  I
believe this would strengthen and expand the gene pool.  We need to
recruit some influential employee of Marshall Farms to join our FML
so we can give him/her suggestions :@)
 
Thanks,
 
Chris & *Scooter* *Nina(Beaners)* *Tavi Bear* *Bailey Nutmeg*
 
(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)
[Posted in FML issue 1221]