>From:    Bob Church <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: Bob C (And ME!): Catch Up Stuff
>Q: ...ferrets are so popular, do you think their prices will go down?
 
Responding to a question to Bob...
 
Ferret prices ARE down.  As ferret shows and pedigreed ferrets become more
known we suspect some prices will go up.  $100 is actually pretty darned
cheap these days.  Pedigreed and show ferrets can cost up towards $300.
 
But thats less than they used to cost a dozen or so years ago.
 
>I *like* the idea of ferret shows, although it will be a cold day in the
>hades before I will enter one of my own.  I'm not afraid of disease, or my
>ferrets losing (impossible!); it just doesn't interest me.
 
I said the same thing.  It was Diane that talked me into showing ferrets at
all.  Now look at me.  But most of the Zen showing is Courtney now.  My
favorite ferrets are the mutts that are even breeding prospects.  Court's
the one that picks the ones to show (okay he asks my opinion).
 
I still say my favorite part of the show is the meal afterwards...
 
If a few more folks would set aside ego trips in favor of really helping
ferrets we can get rid of all these rivalries.  The three llama/alpaca
organizations merged recently.  Hopefully us ferret folks can do the same.
 
A big problem the AFA has is lack of volunteers.  If you want to see a
ferret organization do soemthing volunteer and then FOLLOW THROUGH.  Don't
form a "new" organization.  We have too darned many one or two person
organizations all fighting for their spotlight.
 
>I have never heard of any mammal with extra canines (other than when the
>baby canines are being replaced by the adult ones).
 
Well our Pomeranians never lost all of their baby teeth - the male appears
to have retained both pairs of lower canines.  Heard it wasn't uncommon in
the toy breeds.  But thats enough on list about dogs...
 
>From:    Michelle Matta <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: Re: How to get reduced litter No.'s
 
>>Here's what we've done to produce litters as small as only 2 kits.
>Sounds awfully unfair to the female you are breeding!  To all those
>others who breed, is this usually how its done?
 
We know of no other breeder who does those techniques for litter size
reduction.  We have other techniques that work quite well for us.
 
bill and diane killian
zen and the art of ferrets
http://www.zenferret.com/
mailto:[log in to unmask]
[Posted in FML issue 2131]