KJ, please, don't breed those angoras.  Angoras are associated with
several negative malformations at higher rates, including skull
malformations, birth numbers high enough to increase kit mortality and
strain on mother, and most commonly difficulty breathing and sinus pain
due to closed off nostrils or nostrils with fur growing too profusely in
them.  The sacrifice number at one of the European breeders due to severe
malformations from this mutation was high; buyers did not see the kits
lost to get them the appearance they bought.  Those who are curious can
see the Ferret Genetics site.
 
Some pictures of some of your ferrets and of your last site which concern
me -- from your own website:
 
* http://ferrets.htmlplanet.com/cgi-bin/i/images/DSCF0003.JPG
* http://ferrets.htmlplanet.com/cgi-bin/i/images/DSCF0006.JPG
(stump tail  -- note that reduced tail size is associated with an
increased risk of several spinal cord problems in mammals in general,
for example, humans have a higher rate of spina bifida than most
tailed mammals)
 
* http://ferrets.htmlplanet.com/cgi-bin/i/images/DSCF0002.JPG
* http://ferrets.htmlplanet.com/cgi-bin/i/images/DSCF0007.JPG
* http://ferrets.htmlplanet.com/cgi-bin/i/images/dscf0093.jpg
* http://ferrets.htmlplanet.com/cgi-bin/i/images/Ferretry2.jpg
* http://ferrets.htmlplanet.com/cgi-bin/i/images/dscf0057.jpg
* http://ferrets.htmlplanet.com/cgi-bin/i/images/dscf0093.jpg
 
I keep seeing many neural crest genetic variant ferrets in your photos.
The neural crest is a very early fetal area with cells that will later
become a wide range of structures.  It is turn is split off from the
cardiac neural crest.  These crests precede organs or features.  They are
very early.  As a result altering them affects many tissues to degrees
which virtually always inconsistently vary among individuals (variable
expression).
 
A number of the neural crest mutations are extremely ancient but
very consistent throughout the animals affected when a population is
considered.  This is probably no surprise when you consider how early
in the fetus these exist.  Neural Crest mutations are a very hot area
in human genetic counseling because, of course, when you alter the
innervation of multiple tissues very early on and then throughout life
you runt the risk of seeing a number of changes.  Some well documented or
reported alterations which are seen more frequently (sometimes much more
frequently) with neural crest genetic variant markings include (but are
not limited to): deafness, eye defects (not reported so far in ferrets
but suggested and there may be undiscovered ones in ferrets; after all,
it was only recently found that albino ferrets have peripheral vision
field defects), mandible (lower jaw) malformations that prevent them
opening fully, dysphagia (difficulty swallowing), syndactyly and
polydactyly (toes in a sheath, or extra toes), cardiomyopathy --
especially the harder to find hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (very well
documented in a range of mammals so start chest imaging earlier on these
ferrets), skull malformations, poor intestinal innervation and resulting
medical problems, and several of the neural crest mutations (including
the KIT Oncogene and LEOPARD Syndrome increase malignancy rates).
 
Thanks to the NIH recent advances have been made into inquiries of
how many kidney genetic woes might increase in rate with neural crest
variants.  One thing slated for study in this regard is the formation of
cystine stones (a problem for which one other major genetic variation is
reasonably documented in mammals and several minor ones are).  So over
time there may be more to learn on that score, too.  On a personal note,
this intrigues me partly because both of the ferrets we have with a
tendency to form cystine stones on diets with more than 35% protein both
have neural crest markings that are commonly associated with the KIT
Oncogene.  Neither has a blaze or panda head -- the better known neural
crest genetic variant markings which can be seen with several neural
crest variants in mammals such as the KIT Oncogene and Waardenburg, but
both have partial mitts and one has a partial bib.
 
Ferrets with neural crest genetic variant markings should have more
frequent veterinary examinations and earlier "old age" testing and should
not be bred.  Sadly, because of variable expression and because you can't
see white markings under the coats of albinos or DEWs these conditions
may at times be hidden from view.
 
There are other genetic health syndromes associated with some other
fancy markings, for example, look at the work of Dr. John Lewington.
[Posted in FML issue 5024]