I just wanted to tell you all of my experience in Australia with spaying. A year and a half ago, I walked into a pet store quite close to my home called "Bizarre Pets". I was looking for some fish but was captivated by a squirmy white bundle of fur being carried around by a boy (it was the school holidays, and the store was full of kids). It was Tabitha (or so the boy had named her). I fell in love... But, I spent an hour in the pet store, reading all the stuff about ferrets, thinking about whether I could give her a good home or not, and eventually bought her. She was $60 (Aus) which is about $40 (US). Before the pet store owner would let me buy her, she made sure I knew that she would need surgery at about 6 months of age, and referred me to the ferret-knowledgeable vet down the road. After much reading of books and joining this list, I got Endora (sable) as well. But I knew BOTH would need to be spayed, and that was always a consideration. Every time I took them to the vet for their shots, I'd ask the vet if it was time for their operation - she said "No. Leave it until they're about 6-7 months old." Acting on her advice, I spayed them before they came into their first season, at 7 months old. It cost me $400 including shots, but it was worth it, and they came home the same day. I just wanted to say that the advice I was given was not to spay them till then, and that they'd be healthier in the future if I didn't. Now, here's my opinion. I think that it is better to spay later (but before their first season). I was carefully counselled by both the pet store owner and my vet to wait. I now have a 2lb (1kg) and 3lb (1.5kg) ferret, Tabitha and Endora, who I love dearly. I just thought I'd write. Cheers, Georgina, in Australia, with Tabitha (the flying ferret) and Endora (I'd rather snuggle, if it's all the same to you!) [Posted in FML issue 3109]