We went to the home of the would-be breeder Friday evening.  The ferrets
were kept in a shed about 15 feet square.  There were dozens of rabbits and
guinea pigs, some with babies, in cages.  Two small ponies shared a little
stall.  There were several dogs in a large run between the house and the
shed, and the man had chickens and pigeons as well.
 
There were 2 pairs of female ferrets, a single female and a single male.
The ferrets were on wood chip bedding with a couple old t-shirts for
snuggling in.  There were no litter boxes, they used the corners of the
cage.
 
The man said he decided to keep the male and one female, but that he wasn't
going to breed them.  Didn't have the time.  We bought the 2 pairs of
females because he said the single female didn't get along with the others.
He said she even beat up the male when he put them together!
 
I asked if he was going to have the ones he keeps neutered.  Eventually, but
he didn't seem in too much of a hurry.  In fact, this one is just going into
heat now and he'll have to wait til she goes out.  I was surprised when he
showed me the single female had a swollen vulva, and wondered why she would
be in heat now.  He guessed it was because he had been keeping the lights on
15 hours a day for the guinea pigs.
 
I wished then we had picked her.  After conferring with our vet, I will have
Richard call him and say the vet said he didn't need to wait til she was out
of heat and that she should be spayed asap.
 
So we brought the four home.  They are very skittish and nippy (HARD
nipping!) Two little sables are about 5 or 6 months old, the others about a
year older.  Two are scheduled for spaying on Monday, two on Tuesday.
 
We would appreciate any assistance anyone can provide with the vet bills.
As a small operation, we are still smarting from 3 surgeries in the last
couple months.  Please send any donations directly to the vet, and write
North Coast Ferret Shelter in the note line.  Thank you.
 
Douds Veterinary Hospital
12115 Leavitt Road
Oberlin, OH 44074
 
I will post more on the girls as their personalities become known.
 
Linda Iroff
North Coast Ferret Shelter
Serving Northeast Ohio
http://www.oberlin.edu/~liroff/ncfs.html
[Posted in FML issue 1742]