>I do not want to come off here as non caring because folks who know
>me know how much I miss my koda boy BUT, it is just part and parcel
>to having ferrets. You can't hold the breeder responsible for a two
>and a half old ferret unless they gave you some kind of guarantee. 

I'm sorry for your loss.

I wanted to reply to your post because I've noticed this same general
outlook among a lot of ferret owners and, if you'll forgive me for
being frank, I find it a little odd. A while ago I had an acquaintance
who was interested in getting a ferret from a private breeder, even
though previous offspring from the ferret line he was considering had
often developed issues like lymphoma within 2-3 years. I asked him
if he was aware of this and he said he was, but he had the same
perspective that I see in Fred's post. That's just the way ferrets are,
right? They're inherently fragile. It's a roll of the dice. You can't
blame the breeder for that.

Well, I say you can. People go to dog and cat breeders with the
expectation of long health, and responsible breeders provide proof
of that long health through testing and genetic backgrounds. There's
no reason why ferret fans shouldn't expect this, either. If a ferret
breeder is aware that his/her line demonstrates serious health
issues -- early cancers, difficulty rearing kits, difficulty thriving
as kits -- then why is that line being continued? If a pet ferret owner
can't count on private breeders to provide healthier ferrets than MF
and the other early neuterers, then what's the point of paying the
premium for a private breeder in the first place?

I would argue that the rise of fancy colors in the 80s-90s coincided
with a lack of responsible breeding that has resulted in the genetic
propensities toward early disease that we see among a lot of ferrets
today. Is there a solution to this? I don't know. But wouldn't it be
smart for ferret breeders to actively research a solution instead of
putting the blame on the owner and perpetuating the "Ferrets are
fragile, sickly little animals" myth?

k

[Posted in FML 5705]