>From:    Urban Fredriksson <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: Optimum litter size? ; Re: distemper vaccine
>What do you think is the optimum number of kits to a litter?
 
Conventional wisdom is that less than 3 leads to problems with the jill not
having milk but we've had a jill or two successfully raise one or two a few
times.  We know of a jill that raised about 20 with no losses.  The larger
litters seem to start smaller and grow slower for the first several weeks.
 
We as breeders want from 5 to 9 as its an easy number for us humans.  We
don't know what the jills think.  It makes sense that the larger litters are
more stressful but then it doesn't make sense about the aplastic anemia
so... just dunno.
 
>From:    Pam Grant and STAR* Ferrets <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: don't buy, but adopt
 
Thank you.  What you said makes perfect sense.  Again we are in agreement.
 
>From:    petersen <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: Ferret Finding
>I guess my point was that if you are a first time ferret buyer, how doyou
>know that anything like the American Ferret Association exists, or has
>useful information?  For a national organization which seems to be involved
>in lots of useful activities, they aren't very visible on our local level.
 
This IS a problem.  Volunteering would help but it wouldn't reach everyone.
But I'm very sure that the AFA is open to suggestions on this.  They have a
web site and it is being dramatically reworked but with a staff of well one
and a couple that have sort of volunteered to help that will take a while.
This will help with those that have web access and are interested in the web
and forethought about pet ownership enough to think to look first.  These
mail lists help but unfortunately become a battle ground of politics
depending upon who mentions which group.  At least the information about
good sources comes up frequently.
 
There are now apparently two bi-monthly ferret magazines and that will help.
We still prefer our good old freinds Modern Ferret...
 
With ferrets still being drastically smaller in population than dogs or cats
you still won't hear as much about the AFA as you do the AKC or the ACFA.
Though the ACFA is drastically lower than the AKC in recognition as well.
The televised Westminister show probably has a lot to do with that.  Also
the hundred year lead the AKC has on the AFA and many decades on the ACFA.
Sorry for the US bias in this.  The concept is international though our
point of reference is US.
 
One thing that I just pointed out is the concept of ferret shows as
educational.  It is very important that to reach out with good signals the
shows need to be "professionally" executed so that it plays well in the
news.  Occaisionally the AFA can get a TV station to make it to the shows
and newspapers come more frequently.  Well though I guess this is hinting at
more local involvement.  A local club can request the AFA's sanctioning for
a show.  The AFA show comittee (headed by Vicky McKimmey) will handle most
of the work (along with I think the management company) but some local
efforts are still needed at this time.  Mostly in site selection and things
people that aren't known about out of the area.  For info send email to
[log in to unmask] and/or [log in to unmask]
 
How everyone here can help is to think about ideas for increasing the
visibilty of the AFA (and any other ferret organization as well as the
others are also deserving)
 
bill and diane killian
zen and the art of ferrets
http://www.zenferret.com/
mailto:[log in to unmask]
[Posted in FML issue 2009]