Teens have special situations due to their future schedules and future
living arrangements.  That in no way means that teens aren't responsible.
I used to do a lot of animal work as a teen, even as a child.  Still, the
fact remains that most teens do wind up leaving home and being stuck into
living situations which -- beyond their control -- simply do not allow them
to have pets.  In that particular teen's case the parents had some strong
objections to ferrets.  When the parents can be trusted to care for the pet
while the teen is away, or a sib or another person can be counted upon if
the teen winds up in the common college-age living situation, then it is
possible to deal with any age of ferret.  Personally, I find so many female
teens maternal enough that they'd be ideal for sick elderly ferrets who
need special care -- once they know ferrets well enough -- a situation
calling for great responsibility.  The common teen future schedules and
future living situations, though, do mean that IF there is not someone else
who can be counted upon and the teen leaves home at college-age, then it is
the ferret who winds up in trouble.  That's not the fault of the teen since
these are the expected changes at that age bracket -- to move away and
attend school -- but it is the fault of a mismatch between parent and
animal so that has to be worked around.  Adults are not usually placed in
those situations so the aspects common to the teens years can't be
generalized to adults.  We can turn down jobs in FFZs (and have done so,
as have many others), we do have more (sometimes much more) control over
where we chose to live, etc.  The situation itself IS different for teens;
that's not saying that it's a fault of the age bracket but rather part of
the schedule, that having that dependence upon parents is part of the age,
as is having less control over living situations.  I think in reading my
comments you are confusing the teens themselves with their typical
situations (reduced self-sovreignty compared to adults, up-coming
responsibilities which will shape their futures, communal living, etc.)
but the two are separate and interactive; each needs to be considered in
relation to the needs of an animal.  Teens CAN control how responsible they
themselves are, but they can not control how responsible the parents will
be toward the ferret once the teen leaves home if the teen does so, that is
why it is best to have the age of the ferret best suit the teen's future
schedule, ESPECIALLY when the parents find ferrets objectionable (but will
never-the-less spring for any medical care the teen can't cover which is
a "must" for any pet).  It is common for people to confuse situations and
individuals, but while they are not at all the same thing, each is an
important component in the considerations involved.  There are OTHER
problems which usually or always involve adults rather than teens or
children which also get discussed here, such as those abusive individuals
who are animal collectors.  Some difficulties are at least somewhat
dependent upon age-related situations rather than upon the individual
personalities involved.  Ignoring the special hurtles common to any age is
unfair to those in that age bracket, while finding ways to suit BOTH the
individuals and their situations permits the most flexibility and freedom
for the individuals involved.
[Posted in FML issue 3079]