Corn: another aspect of corn (from James Fox's veterinary text, _Biology
and Diseases of the Ferret_) is that it can cause bladder stones in ferrets
by throwing off the pH of the urine.  Don't off-hand know amounts involved
or if some individuals are more sensitive to that result than others.  We
avoid it.
 
Genetics: well, until people start providing numbers to those who are
following such things on Amy's genetics site, or until there's a solid vet
study on things (like lifespans) it's all speculation, but as most know I
asked a while back on two internet sites about lifespans of ferrets with
WS features of the head.  The result of this very informal and not at all
conclusive question was one who is now 6 and 1/2 with health problems, and
one which might be about that age bracket but a firm age isn't available
at this point --meaning one and possibly two having reached the minimal
boundary.  Of the ferrets mentioned to me every other WS ferret with known
lifespans (KNOWN ages -- not estimates) apparently lived to be below the
middle of the sixth year, in the grouping mentioned to me, based upon
"owner" recollections.  Obviously, that is not as good as more typical
lifespans found in "plain" ferrets.  Leigh had a WONDERFUL post here on
the FML teaching us all a lot about the lesser-known aspects of WS like
neurological and intestinal damage, and that it is a neural crest disorder.
Have found myself wondering if possible changes in the parasympathetic
neurological system might be one aspect needing consideration.  As Bill
pointed out we don't know firmly that it is WS in ferrets but given how
ancestoral such conditions are (with Leigh mentioning that many are studied
in amphibians -- they are that widely spread in vertebrates) and that it
meshes with what is seen in other mammals it's likely a decent assumption
as long as people recognize it still is such.  There have been some very
interesting things mentioned on that list; for instance, it turns out that
multiple breeders have noticed that litters with stub-tails very often also
have intestinal malformations.  Terri let us all know that she had some
ferrets years ago when she first began having ferrets which were bred for
looks and also had short lives.  Sorry that I can't recall who all of these
folks who have provided such interesting information were, but they and
others have been teaching me a lot.  I hope that breeders begin submitting
the data needed.  It's fine list.  Life's been hectic; hope this clarifies
what little bit I can clarify after M's mention; searches of these topics
in FMLs from this year will also help clarify.  I'm just a member of the
list and there are others who know much more about it all; perhaps they
will say something more here if their schedules allow.  Certainly, among
cats and dogs those breeding for certain looks have reduced the lifespans
of many breeds and left a number with medical conditions in large numbers,
some of those serious and painful.  It makes more sense to breed for
HEALTH, LONG LIFE, and TEMPERMENT than for superfisical aspects.  (Oh, for
those who are interested in how few genes can affect superfisical physical
aspects at times: this week's Science Times (New York Times) had a great
article on human "races" and how only something like 1/10,000 of the
genetic locations in any individual are involved in this "division", how
the variation is small compared to some other aspects of variation such as
the hugely larger numbers of sites involved in intelligence, and that
humans anywhere (just like ferrets in the many locations with narrowed
genetic pools) are vastly genetically identical.  It's a good article for
giving a feel for things like variation and ***how the human eye can be
misled into assumptions about genetics*** that have less bearing than many
give them; as such it's a fine article for anyone interested in genetic
questions about any species, a must-read).  You have to sign up to use the
site (or look in your library since many have that paper):
http://www.nytimes.com/library/national/science/082200sci-genetics-race.html
[Posted in FML issue 3154]