I keep getting some posts from people who want more data than exists, and
some from those don't understand: I am saying that it MAY be that pandas
and blazes do not live to normal life-spans, that the numbers gotten
informally so far look that way, but the numbers could be wrong, so a real
study with sufficient numbers of individuals and involving ferrets of known
ages (not estimates) is needed.  It's a gray area -- an area which needs
some real study.  Given how widely spread those "fancy" genes are from all
the selection for them for show appearances and to suit purchasers who want
an unusual look it would also be good if some vets who treated ferrets
before all the fancies commonly appeared would look at the life-spans seen
then and compare those to current ones, but doubt this can be done.  (Why?
Am hoping that there has not been a measurably negative longevity shift
over the U.S.  national population as whole, given the emphasis on fancies
in the last decade or so.) Increases in the proportions of fancies is a way
to shift entire aspects of the population, perhaps including life-span;
that's what breed development does.  (Heck, that is what evolution itself
is: a shift within the population of proportions of given alleles and their
expression.) So far, most of the pandas and blazes about which I have
heard did NOT reach normal life-spans and that includes those in homes of
multiple long-time ferret people who are very adept at managing illnesses.
At this point in time to be safe we are starting to use extra caution in
terms of possible medical needs for our furry family members who are known
to be non-standards, blood tests earlier, added vet checks, and so on.  We
figure that can't hurt except financially and it might help.  This is a
question which needs actual study by someone familiar with doing such
studies.
 
Here at home over the 18 years we've had the privilege of sharing lives
with ferrets we've typically seen life-spans for ferrets in general go from
late 6th year to about mid 8th year, with some younger and some older, but
most right in the middle (in fact, most going during their 7th years no
matter who the breeder was).  For the most part the pandas and blazes who
have been mentioned to me have died in their 4th year through into the
early part of the 6th year.  We saw the latter here, ourselves.  There have
been 3 (possibly 4 but not sure if one individual is referring to one or
two ferrets) individual exceptions mentioned to me so far, multiples in the
early part of the normal life-spans.  Also, heard about more who died too
young today.  The proportion being seen could be a sampling error thanks to
the problems of garnering responses this way, or it could be actual.  It
might just be that those who lost them young respond in greater proportion
and that skews the response numbers; I don't know.  Really don't and have
no way of figuring out that aspect.  At this point just take what I have
heard as a caution light is properly used -- slow down, be extra careful --
nothing may be there but it could be that you might be blind-sided if you
don't use caution.  Don't take it as anything more or less than that.
That's what we are doing, too.  We're all in the same boat here -- there
are scary numbers but we each have no way of knowing how real they are.  I
know no more than any of you if they will turn out to be real when someone
does an actual study.  Just know that a study is very possibly indicated
as being warranted, ditto logical caution.
 
At least one of the people who wrote to me today copied to the list and
some did not, same as earlier.  It might be very good is people just would
also copy to the FML.  Every time I hear of one making it into normal
ranges I heave a sigh of relief.  Every time I hear of one who doesn't I
am saddened but know that it's something that I may need to know to best
help our ferrets.
 
BTW, as I recall, it was Carla who first noticed this possible pattern.  If
it's real once numbers are there then it's been sitting right in front of
all of our faces all this time without it being noticed and we all have a
great deal to be grateful about in terms of it's being noticed now.  Have
to wonder what that means in terms of some breeders and lack of essential
record keeping if it turns out to be real.
 
To heck with fancy looks!  Let's emphasize health, longevity, and
personality.
[Posted in FML issue 3208]