When buying from breeders:
 
1.  Do not buy long distance, sight unseen, shipping required.  That is
just begging trouble.
 
2. Know the signs of a sick kit.  Know about deformities to avoid.
 
3. ***** Get the kit to a VET of YOUR choosing.***** Preferably, this
is done BEFORE you have accepted the animal or have paid.  Even with a
health problem or variations form what you expected you may want to take
the little one but would so with a reduction in price or for free in
anticipation of the future medical case needs.  (Our Scooter came here free
from a breeder as a kit due to health problems; he turns four this month
and has cost us perhaps $3,000 or $2,500 in medical care so far.  We always
expected that his needs would be more expensive than a normal purchase
price.  We had specifically said that we would take one with any type of
deformity at that time.)
 
4. Know that an animal is NOT like a sweater that a mail order company
happens to provide in the wrong color.  It is a living, breathing, loving
family member and relies on you.  Accept it for better or worse and try to
help it forever.
 
5. Still, do NOT accept the animal until you reviewed the health and
longevity records of the animal's parents, and preferably other relatives
such as sibs, half sibs, and/or grandparents.  Work those into your choice.
 
6. Get things in WRITING.
 
Special Note: Just because the breeder is also a vegetarian, or also a
freak for the same musical group, or in your religion does not mean that
you are safe.  Steve's parents did the last one in relation to rag doll
cats recently.  They bought sight-unseen from a breeder in SLC who is also
LDS like they are and had a pretty webpage, naively figuring that actually
meant something.  Can you say, "Arrrggghhhhhhhhhh!"?  First, the breeder
switched cats; second,the breeder talked them into buying a second cat at
the same time; third, the cats were not spayed though that was in the
price; fourth, the cats were supposed to have been dewormed but they were
wormy.  fifth, the cats BOTH have feline eosinophilic granuloma complex
(Info on same desired.).
 
When selling ferrets:
 
1. Clarify what the purchaser wants and get that in WRITING.
 
2. Be sure that your own side of the equation is clearly stated in writing.
 
3. Provide full health and longevity info on the line to the purchaser,
and have vet make out a general health statement on letterhead even if
that costs you a bit more.
 
4. Fulfill your part of the bargain.  Remember that old retail rule:
If you do something wrong ten times as many people will hear about it
than would hear if you do something right.
 
5. Provide date of birth, the vet statement along with what has been
done and what should be done for the first year and on what schedule,
and the lines' health info in writing for purchaser to keep.
 
6, Make at least one follow-up call to check on how things are going.
 
BOTH:
 
1. Expect that a number of times something will go wrong, anyway.  You are
only minimizing the rate and severity.
[Posted in FML issue 3323]