Hi,
 
Something Bill Killian said stuck in my ear.  It went something like "this
is the season for hobs," and the subject at the time was odor, or, as we
call it in our household, "wafting", because the ferts seem to sweat in
sleep, especially in the head area, and give off a wafting array of ferrety
smells.
 
But THIS smell, well, I won't say hell, but sheesh!  Last night I didn't
fasten the bolt on Tarzan and the two girls house and Tarzan paid me a
nocturnal visit - his chest was covered in urine (and his smells different
than the unaltered gang) - wow!  His neck area is getting very, very musky.
 
I'm searching for heart about having two litters of kits this spring, which
is why I got my unspayed ladies.  The breeders I speak with talk about
"continuing their lines" and "creating new colors", which is something I
would probably love to do.  But I adopted to ruby-eyed white puffballs,
nothing exotic, except they've got great personalities.  And Tarzan, well
he's just a plain ole' sable with a huge heart and nearly white face.  He is
a very dark sable, about a year old, though from what I read he might
lighten up.  I'm joining the local club, now that I finally tracked it down,
to research the, how shall I put it, ferret demographics in Seattle and
nearby.  The biggest fear of mine is placing my little babies in great homes
- they could only be great or my "business" would grow considerably - yikes!
 
I'm familiar with the breeding horror stories, and they do sound awful.  I
have raised cats, which I'm sure is much, much easier.  I've got a breeder's
book ordered (Breeder's Digest?, don't have the name nearby), and am meeting
more and more local breeders and joining local clubs in the Seattle area.
 
My loves are such a sweet trio, Tarzan, Minnie and Claudette, and I don't
want to lose the girls, but they are whole and I did so want to breed them.
There's almost nothing better, or isn't, than getting a new ferret member of
the family.  So, I guess I need to start checking immediately if there are
homes available.  I already have one home for one or two ferrets.  These
people have a silver ferret and when they saw Tarzan they flipped - oh, he's
so beautiful, he's so big, he's so....  I want one of his babies.  They are
experienced, caring ferret parents.  He's named Tarzan, because he got into
everything it took our other ferrets weeks to find.  A very energetic, sweet
and beautiful guy.  His smell isn't so bad after all...
 
Claudette, about three years and Minnie's mom, has already had one smooth
litter with nine kits.  One of the kits is Minnie, my other gal, who was the
runt.  The people who I adopted them from (the girls were in an aquarium,
next to where the man played an electric guitar quite loud; the sound
roaring from his apartment when we arrived to see the girls) said that they
didn't think Minnie would surivive as she had trouble getting one of nine
teats, but survive she did and she's a little scrapper.  She can Claudette
chatter and squeek and chase each other and Tarzan, but if another ferret so
much as looks at them askance they set up a racket of squeals that sends me
flying - yet to see marks on them.  They're very vain with beautiful
french-vanilla or popcorn colored coats, nearly white, especially Minnie.
 
I think it was Pam Grante (sp?) who really got me thinking with her e-mail
recently about breeding, what to consider when considering it.  I don't want
to start a debate or anything, or get flamed.  I am a very responsible,
caring ferret parent and would really like to help my babies procreate if
that's what we decide to do.  I'm just examining this really carefully.  I
know I could support them emotionally and financially.  I feel good about
furthering strong old ferret lines, since that's what I have to offer - when
I got the girls I was told they were albinos (by a local breeder) and that
albinos were good to breed because they're genes are recessive, so that any
pure color they're bred to should reappear...  Since, I've heard otherwise.
But mine are dears even without the true honey albino eyes, without spots or
strikes or black eyes, as neat as these things are.  Sigh, we can't all be
Bridgette Bardot or Sting.
 
Sorry to ramble, but I guess I could use some help with this, though I'm
a bit afraid to ask.
 
Thanks,
 
Lynn Mc., SO Janos, Wellington the cat, and the especially fluffy Gang of
Seven.
[Posted in FML issue 1396]