Corn: another aspect of corn (from James Fox's veterinary text, _Biology and Diseases of the Ferret_) is that it can cause bladder stones in ferrets by throwing off the pH of the urine. Don't off-hand know amounts involved or if some individuals are more sensitive to that result than others. We avoid it. Genetics: well, until people start providing numbers to those who are following such things on Amy's genetics site, or until there's a solid vet study on things (like lifespans) it's all speculation, but as most know I asked a while back on two internet sites about lifespans of ferrets with WS features of the head. The result of this very informal and not at all conclusive question was one who is now 6 and 1/2 with health problems, and one which might be about that age bracket but a firm age isn't available at this point --meaning one and possibly two having reached the minimal boundary. Of the ferrets mentioned to me every other WS ferret with known lifespans (KNOWN ages -- not estimates) apparently lived to be below the middle of the sixth year, in the grouping mentioned to me, based upon "owner" recollections. Obviously, that is not as good as more typical lifespans found in "plain" ferrets. Leigh had a WONDERFUL post here on the FML teaching us all a lot about the lesser-known aspects of WS like neurological and intestinal damage, and that it is a neural crest disorder. Have found myself wondering if possible changes in the parasympathetic neurological system might be one aspect needing consideration. As Bill pointed out we don't know firmly that it is WS in ferrets but given how ancestoral such conditions are (with Leigh mentioning that many are studied in amphibians -- they are that widely spread in vertebrates) and that it meshes with what is seen in other mammals it's likely a decent assumption as long as people recognize it still is such. There have been some very interesting things mentioned on that list; for instance, it turns out that multiple breeders have noticed that litters with stub-tails very often also have intestinal malformations. Terri let us all know that she had some ferrets years ago when she first began having ferrets which were bred for looks and also had short lives. Sorry that I can't recall who all of these folks who have provided such interesting information were, but they and others have been teaching me a lot. I hope that breeders begin submitting the data needed. It's fine list. Life's been hectic; hope this clarifies what little bit I can clarify after M's mention; searches of these topics in FMLs from this year will also help clarify. I'm just a member of the list and there are others who know much more about it all; perhaps they will say something more here if their schedules allow. Certainly, among cats and dogs those breeding for certain looks have reduced the lifespans of many breeds and left a number with medical conditions in large numbers, some of those serious and painful. It makes more sense to breed for HEALTH, LONG LIFE, and TEMPERMENT than for superfisical aspects. (Oh, for those who are interested in how few genes can affect superfisical physical aspects at times: this week's Science Times (New York Times) had a great article on human "races" and how only something like 1/10,000 of the genetic locations in any individual are involved in this "division", how the variation is small compared to some other aspects of variation such as the hugely larger numbers of sites involved in intelligence, and that humans anywhere (just like ferrets in the many locations with narrowed genetic pools) are vastly genetically identical. It's a good article for giving a feel for things like variation and ***how the human eye can be misled into assumptions about genetics*** that have less bearing than many give them; as such it's a fine article for anyone interested in genetic questions about any species, a must-read). You have to sign up to use the site (or look in your library since many have that paper): http://www.nytimes.com/library/national/science/082200sci-genetics-race.html [Posted in FML issue 3154]