Please do contact Mark about underage ferrets in pet stores or if your pet
store isn't complying.  I did talk with Mark and was told the same thing,
even though I was there the day after Scooby's group came in and I can
honestly say had we not come in, at least 2 of those babies would have
died - Scooby being one.  He still had the wobblyness to his head and the
wide eyed seeing the world for the first time look and also not able to eat
even warm moistened kibble, he only clumsily lapped at the liquid.  There
was no doubt in my mind, Nancy's or Lynda's that three of the babies were
under 6 weeks, more likely 5 - 5 1/2 weeks old from my personal experience
with kits (and all mine were very healthy).  Of course I was unable to
convince Mark of that.
 
At the end of the email address listed should be .com
 
If you are unable to reach Mark, you can email Marshall Farms (their email
address is listed on their web page) and ask that they see that he gets it.
Please be polite and report honestly what you see.  Don't fabricate.  Also
be sure to include the contact information such as the name, address,
telephone number of the pet store and the name of the manager or asst
manager.  Be sure to talk to the manager or asst manager at the store about
the problem and get their name as well and report their response (willing
or unwilling).  Document everything (empty water bottle, feces piled 3
inches high in corners, housed in aquariums, not food or just crumbs, cedar
chips, sick ferrets, etc.).  If the ferrets look sick, ask if they are
under veterinary care and if you are told they are ask who the attending
vet is (the vet may have a card placed somewhere in site in some stores),
then check with the vet.
 
(Perhaps some of the current breeders can post what to look for in ages
of kits so others will not 'cry wolf'.  It would be good to get numerous
opinions as different families may grow at different rates.)
 
When there is a problem, we want the suppliers to know but we don't want to
annoy them with false complaints.  If you are unsure, ask someone with more
experience in aging ferrets (such as breeders or shelters).
 
If it is a cleanliness or food/water issue and you get no response or a
rude response from the store manager, ask for the owners name and number
or corporations home office and contact them.  Some stores are hesitant to
give out the information so be assertive but not rude.  Also contact the
state agency that inspects pet stores and file a formal written complaint.
 
Believe me, I know how difficult it is to muster up enough courage to stand
up for the little ones, but if we don't do it, it is the ferrets that will
suffer and possibly die.
 
Hugs. tle
Troy Lynn Eckart
Ferret Family Services
http://www-personal.ksu.edu/~sprite/ffs.html
http://www.geocities.com/Petsburgh/Haven/5481/
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[Posted in FML issue 3109]