I suffer from ferret math occasionally.  I'm up to 11.  Recently I bought
an unneutered male in a petstore.  I didn't know he was unneutered when I
got him, but noticed his little nuggies when I got him home.  This is a
good thing *for me*, because I want him to be a late alter anyway, so he'll
be healthier and bigger.  Female ferrets are a different story.  I hear
that they can get really sick & die if they go into heat and aren't brought
out of it.  I would get the opinion of your vet on whether or not she's
neutered and make the pet shop pay for the neutering if she's not.  Pet
shops are NOT in the business of selling breedable ferrets.
 
NOW, about Ruby Fur Farm in Iowa... yes, FUR FARM!  I'm guessing your
ferrets fur wasn't coat worthy, as are the TWO I have.  Mine were rescued
about 3 or 4 years ago from Ruby Hill Fur Farm.  They both had behavioral
problems, although for the most part they were broken of their biting by
their shelter moms, they still do bite on occasion, Charles more so than
Dash.  Charles is my lap ferret.  He will lay there for hours and let me
scratch his neck, as long as he's close to me.  Charles's coat is wiry
although less so since his splenectomy (don't know why, maybe less stress).
Dash has a gorgeous, soft & long, luxurious coat, although he roaned out
this year.  Dash, I suspect, may need to go to the vet to check for
adrenals... his hair is sparse on his tail, although I just bathed him and
cleaned his tail thoroughly of blackheads.  Lets see if it grows back, it
IS summer.
 
Your concern should be that SOMEONE take responsibility if your ferret
turns up unneutered or has medical problems within one year.  Go back to
the pet store, demand a warranty.  And then when you get the warranty and
you find out that your little girl isn't neutered, you can make them pay
for the neutering.
 
I honestly didn't know that Ruby Hill was in the pet ferret business.  This
is the first time I've heard of anyone else having one as a pet.
 
                      ^ ^
       .8$4/`0$.8(o o)8.$04/`$8.
In Memory of  =v=   Earl & Kristos
 
ANOTHER BRIGHT IDEA
     by STUDIO DEE GRAPHIC & DESIGN
HOME: http://www.studiodee.com
GALLERY: http://www.studiodee.com/thumbnail.htm
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LVMYPHZBTT 2000: http://www.studiodee.com/ferret
[Posted in FML issue 3095]