Hi Susan!
 
>I don't usually get involved with differences of opinion on the FML.
 
Me either, but you apparently have a bit of misinformation.
 
>Ferrets were bred by mankind to hunt prey, in particular rabbits.  It is
>a bad ferret that kills or 'lays down' with its prey.
 
Actually, the ferrets are used to chase the prey out of the rabbit holes
so yes, they don't usually end up killing them, though they are perfectly
capable of doing so.  They were bred to hunt any small pests, like mice
and rats as well.  It just so happens in England now there is a rabbit
overpopulation problem, so that is what they usually end up hunting.
 
>Ferrets do not live in the wild (excepting the black footed ferret - see
>FML archives) therefore it is NOT natural for domesticated ferrets to
>kill for food.
 
Yes it's true they don't live in the wild, but it certainly does NOT
follow that domestication makes killing for food unnatural.  Dogs and
cats, domesticated longer than ferrets, do it all the time.  It is INDEED
perfectly natural for ferrets, even pet store ferrets, to kill for food.
 
>Personally, I find the idea of feeding live animals to pets abhorrent.
 
Well, that is certainly a personal choice that you are more than welcome
to make for your ferrets and your household.  Others do not find it
abhorrent.  Snake owners must feed their pets live food.  And my ferrets
enjoy the occasional mouse.
 
>don't have the right to end lives, especially for sport.
 
If they eat it, it isn't sport.
 
>There are many games you can play with your ferrets that they will enjoy
>as much if not more so than feeding them live mice.  On a more practical
>side, you can never be entirely sure if the mice you are feeding are
>free from disease.
 
Now this is absolutely true.  There are lots of games you can play that
are wonderful so go for it!  And yes, the mice from a pet store may/may
not be free of disease.  Anyone that plans to do it a lot would probably
be better off breeding their own.  However, the diseases that mice carry
are far more dangerous to snakes that eat them than ferrets.  The mice
are digested much more slowly by the snake so there is much more
opportunity for them to become ill.
 
>If you are going to air your opinions, I for one would be grateful if
>you got your facts straight first.
 
As would I.
 
Ann Barzda
[Posted in FML issue 4213]