Wayne asked about ferrets seeing in the dark:
 
Well nothing can see in the dark.  No light = no vision.  Okay cut the
wise cracks.  Ferrets do not have very good vision period.  Since they
were 'designed' to do hunting in tunnels underground back the centuries
ago when they were wild, and continue to do so in a few places, the
ferret has some abilities beyond seeing to get around.  Whiskers are
for touching the sides of things to check clearances for instance.
Not knowing why you ask I can't give more information.
 
Several problems with ethics in breeders have cropped up now and then:
 
Its a shame but lately I've had and known others to have dealings with
breeders with what might be considered questionable ethics.  I'm seeking
input as to whether these are really ethics problems and if so what should
be done about it.
 
The ECE issue was brought up and quickly diverged into a crying/shouting
match about shelters.  Instead of that what should a responsible and
ethical breeder tell people who want to buy a kit from them?  Unfortunately
most of the breeders in this area have had ECE pass through and according
to Dr. Williams test so far there is no 'safe' amount of time to determine
there is no more ECE virus in the colony.
 
I've heard of several instances of breeders claiming their kits would not
get certain cancers.  Since I don't know that it has been proven that
cancers are genetic, is this possible?
 
I've heard of breeders 'change' the number of kits  that were born in a
litter and the number that survived depending upon who they talked to.
This is more important in breeder to breeder 'transactions' but when
breeders change their 'survival' rate to look good at times and have a
different number of kits in the same litter when they negotiate 'pick of
the litter' choices with the owner of a stud ferret what can we do?
 
I know of an instance of a ferret breeder denigrating another with false
accusations.  In this case one breeder claimed another said certain
things on the FML.  I've verified by searching the entire FML archives
(I've got all of them on my home system) and sucha thing was never said.
 
Another problem I know occured when a deal was made to trade ferrets - a
common thing for breeders to do.  On breeder gave a pair of ferrets to
another with the agreement to get two kits later that year.  The two
ferrets given came from the best litter of the first breeder.  The second
breeder months later when pay up time came decided that the two ferrets
were 'just' pets and not worth together even one of the second breeders
kits.  Funny how ferrets value can change.
 
I was a witness to several of these events and received independant
confirmation of others.
 
All breeders make mistakes as all people make mistakes.  Myself is
definitely included.  I'm just worried about the deceitful and dishonest
way that some breeders act.  I'm not going to bring in to this discussion
any of the Ferret Groups because no groups is full of the possibly
unethical breeders and no group is immune from them.  None of the national
groups even claims to recognize or put any seal of approval on breeders
anyway.
 
But if these breeders are making these claims to other breeders who know
something about ferrets what are they telling people who don't?  What can
any of us do?
 
bill killian
zen and the art of ferrets
 
[Moderator's note: If you're trying to surprise us by letting us know there
are dishonest people in the world... eh... most of us know that.  I believe
the best thing to do is to help to educate people about ferrets and to take
local action against offending breeders when possible.  Of course, the many
breeders on this list may take offense at this line of posts, but I know we
are honest and educated here.  Right?  BIG]
[Posted in FML issue 1279]