Sukie: In response to your e-mail to me & the FML: You must not of read my post correctly. I said: >You are not telling me nothing I have not lived through. As painful as >itis we still keep working on saving these little kids from neglected and >horrid conditions, let alone listening to all the reasons they are giving >up their little ones, or them not having enough time for their loved ones, >also stopping Stores from selling these guys and breeders from getting >carried away with litters. OK - now that you brought up Breeding - WE DO >NOT Breed which brings up the question - Why wasn't any monies put aside >from the selling of Kits. You did not read my post.I co-bred one litter last year, to learn.I kept the three for my own founding breeding stock. I bred my very own first litter born jan 29th who are only 4 weeks old now, and have three. They are not old enough to sell, I won't let them go a day before 12 weeks.I do not know if I will keep any, I am afraid they may all 3 be albinos, and am not keeping albies. >Fund raising is fine - I have no problem with that! But if you already >have one go through heat in Dec., don't you think it will come back into >estrus again sooner or later???? YES but not within 2 months! >I would, so I (being the responsible shelter that I am) would put >monies aside (if I didn't have it then) to get the surgery done before >complications happen. My own opinion here, but if you are a breeder & >Shelter to me you are just butting heads with yourself! Why on gods earth >would you want to breed seeing critters coming into your shelter. I have >seen over 400 ferrets come into our shelter over the years and I couldn't >even fathom breeding! I felt the same way once. But I met breeders, learned from them, have a mentor, joined a club, and did it for me, not to make money, you're lucky to break even, and if you learned about it, too, you'd know what I mean.EVERY ferret I have ever rescued is from Marshall farms, and not breeders. I'm a hobby breeder, I breed to produce healthy ferrets, and like I said will have maybe 2 litter per year.It isn't much especially when I will take back any ferret bought from me, during its lifetime. I took two from a breeder who became ill with a couple life threatening illnesses to place for her, if you want to call that rescue. She would have done it herself, but I offered to help her do it.I was told that that is technically a rescue. And it is she who has mentored me and was good enough to co breed that first litter for me to learn from. Just responding to your post, hope it answers that question.And remember, siggy went into heat a week after my jill was bred.How was I to know? Who would have known? I learned from it, so please donlt worry it will happen again.I posted it, and hope other rescuers learn from it too.You just can't take that tatoo and paperwork to mean the ferret is properly spayed/neutered. Why don't you write Marshalls and question their de-sexing practices? But kindly wait until I let you know they've reimbursed the $100 toward her surgery, or not mention her name so it doesn't harm her. FYI someone wants to adopt her, and I've asked if they would be willing to pay the adoption fee up front to help pay for the surgery.I'm betting they will, they passed the adoption inquiry with flying colors, and continually ask me how she is. Kim == Kim Wolf, Mystyx Samoyeds,MFX Ferrets, and Ferret Rescue.Member Critter Haven East Region. Visit our Websites: www.petfinder.org www.geocities.com/mystyx_samoyedsnferrets [Posted in FML issue 3340]