Birth announcement!  We had a litter of nine (5 hobs, 4 jills) from our
Elizabeth Regina (Lizzy) and Disraeli (Dizzy).  3 of the hobs are 'binos.
This is the first litter completely from the 21 English ferret brought in
last summer.
 
>From:    "Hunter, Theresa" <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: Silver ferrets...
>I have heard a lot of talk about BEW's and how rare they are and I was
>wondering if silver ferrets were rare as well?
Not really.  Most DEW's start as silvers though.  Black mitt (the base
color of these is relatively common in several areas (not England though)
and the lighter shades are other genetic patterns mixed on top of the
color such as roaning and dilution (partial albinism).
 
>From:    [log in to unmask]
>Subject: Cannibal
>Anyway, the second time, my friend found her ferret eating her babies.
>Has anyone ever seen anything like this in other ferrets?
Cannibalism of dead offspring is normal in animals.  In a wild animal
it would be bad to waste the nutrients the mother expended on the now
dead baby.  There have been cases where certain ferrets have turned on
their offspring which wasn't dead.  There are several theories on this
none proven even enough to repeat.
 
>From:    Tricia Tack <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: Vaccination question
>However, my vet uses Fort Dodge brand vaccination, not Fromm-D or
>the others that were recommended.  She tells me this is tested and
>approved for ferrets.
There are ONLY two tested and approved vaccines for ferrets: Fervac-D for
canine distemper and Imrab-3 for Rabies.  There are political fights
involving Galaxy-D but it is neither tested nor approved for use in ferrets.
Fromm-D is no longer made.
 
>From:    Ferret Rescue of Tidewater <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: MF
>As far as MF is concerned - I don't equate quantity with quality.  Some of
>the most successful breeders (health wise) are the smallest.  The attention
>to detail and gene lineage is crucial for healthy ferrets.
Again a topic which is very political.  It is politically correct to
disparage large breeders but it is also a mistake.  Small breeders do not
have the gene pool of a larger breeder so more close in-breeding will occur.
I also have no elitist desire to limit the availability of ferrets.  Think
also about wild animals.  No attention to detail and gene lineage is
performed and yet they often thrive.  Don't waste your energy hating the
large ranches since most of the negative reports are political in nature
more than factual.  MF does things I do not like but they are not a great
Satan.  I honestly see more unethical and immoral practices from the smaller
breeders than I do from the ranches.  This will probably earn me more hate
mail and more false rumors about me.
 
>From:    Jack Holbrook <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: Sorry Vet's
Actually about the mink food.  As I have said before mink food is commonly
fed to ferrets.  It has appropriate levels of nutrition and some of the most
beautiful and muscular ferrets I have ever seen were raised on mink food.
It is probably a healthy diet for them but most (not all) ferrets seem to
readily switch to Iams or Totally Ferret and are not prone to switch back.
Feed YOUR ferrets what YOU want to.
 
>From:    Chuck Renaud <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: Checks
Kansas Bank Note Company...
 
>From:    Bob Church <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: More Bob Silliness
>Hey BIG...great idea.  Not only would I go, I would also help out.  As for
>the badges, my ferrets say "Badges...Badges...We do need those stinking
>badges..." (Sorry C&C)
We will do FML pins but would like an idea about how many to order.  The
more we order the less we can charge for them.  More details in the advert
issue.
[Moderator's note: I haven't yet made any decisions about FML pins.  BIG]
 
>From:    Debbie Riccio <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: Marshall Farm vs Biljack
I think this issue is easily closed.  Debbie and I have been discussing it.
BilJack make Marshalls food for them but it is not the same as any other
food they make.  It is common for companies to have others manufacture
products for them.
 
>From:    novice <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: Okay, it's gotta be *your* fault!
>Joker Bew, either albino or dark eyed white, we can't tell...how do you
>tell?  The eyes are dark, dark maroon.
You described a dark eyed white.  True BLACK eyed white ferrets are
extraordinarily rare.  Most ferrets actually have brown green or blue eyes.
 
>From:    aylasaur <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: "Retired Friends List" for ferrets?
>I thought it might be a good way to get some of those ferrets in shelters
>adopted if there was a list of "Homeless Chums" or something with a similar
>set up as above...
I've actually been working for this kind of thing on my Web site.  I had
only expected to put up info from ferret shelters but another extension like
this might work.
 
>From:    Eric Lucas <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: Nose coloration
Noses come in all colors from pink to brick to brown to black and any
combination of these colors in patterns and 'blobby'.
 
bill and diane killian
zen and the art of ferrets
http://userwww.qnet.com/~killian/zen_home.htm
[Posted in FML issue 1529]