Re: MF: there are those who target MF because it is the largest supplier
of pet store ferrets, and those who target it because it also supplies
research ferrets.  (Triple F also sells to the research market as well
as the pet market, and some others sell only to research.)
 
MF food is no worse than most other reasonable ones out there, though
there are some specific foods which are arguably better or worse.  Some
people don't like the smell associated with fish, though the omega fatty
acid proportions are good.  There is also a hypothesis now on what may or
may not turn out to be optimal protein percentages which has "legs" but
the testing hasn't been done so for now there is no way to know if those
legs will turn out to be strong enough to support the hypothesis once
testing has been done.  (It could even well be that individual ferrets
will vary in what may be their own optimal levels.) An interesting read
on that hypothesis -- including why it is a hypothesis -- is in the
Journal of Exotic Mammal Medicine & Surgery (JEMM&S, volume 2.2, Dec
2004, By Dr Mark Finkler who I gather tends to think that the hypothesis
will pan out after testing, but is logically scientific enough to
recognize that there is no way to know until it is carefully tested --
a characteristic I greatly admire).
 
Basically, if you read the USDA inspections of the assorted ferret
farms in the U.S. MF does not turn out to be any worse than most major
farms and actually tends to be somewhat better overall in conditions
repeatedly.
 
In ages of the kits found in pet stores all the major farms have messed
up more than anyone would like.
 
Actually, that is something that two interesting efforts for change
beyond the wonderful state efforts are addressing.  (Maine and NH have
already raised the minimum age for sale in their states and some other
marvelous state ferret groups are attempting to be as successful.  It
would be wrong to not mention such wonderful efforts and I hope I didn't
miss any successes.)
 
The two national efforts are very different ones.  One is the work of a
groups of veterinarians who are working with the USDA and multiple ferret
groups to improve the regulations that govern ferret farms (NOT small
breeders who do not sell to retail since the USDA is not their regulating
agency), distributors, and transportation in an attempt to get older
minimum ages for sale and transport as well as other changes to save
ferret lives.  (Anyone who has read of the ferret kits who died on
airport tarmacs will appreciate this.)  You can read about this work in
http://www.ferretcongress.org/
 
Scroll down the page to the section which reads
>IMPORTANT! An effort is underway by several ferret organizations
>to urge the USDA to enact regulations to protect ferrets at breeding
>farms and in transit to retail stores. You can help by contacting the
>USDA and your federal representatives!
>See also the response from the USDA.
and select both, please!
 
The other change is one that PetSmart after speaking to the IFC has
begun.  It is not perfect and it is still in early stages, but they are
trying to make sure that they sell no ferrets who are younger than 12
weeks of age.  Steve and I recently paid a surprise visit to a local
PetSmart and did dental ages on a number of the kits there and they had
their adult dentition so in that store so they were over 11 and 1/2 weeks
which is the age at which the last of the adult dentition in ferrets
erupts.  Hopefully, once bugs are found and worked out that will be the
norm.
 
it would be great if this can begin what may eventually become a pet
store industry-wide pressure to sell kits who are older, and who are
healthier specifically due to being older before being separated from
their mothers and surgically stressed by spaying or altering.
[Posted in FML issue 4889]