When buying from breeders: 1. Do not buy long distance, sight unseen, shipping required. That is just begging trouble. 2. Know the signs of a sick kit. Know about deformities to avoid. 3. ***** Get the kit to a VET of YOUR choosing.***** Preferably, this is done BEFORE you have accepted the animal or have paid. Even with a health problem or variations form what you expected you may want to take the little one but would so with a reduction in price or for free in anticipation of the future medical case needs. (Our Scooter came here free from a breeder as a kit due to health problems; he turns four this month and has cost us perhaps $3,000 or $2,500 in medical care so far. We always expected that his needs would be more expensive than a normal purchase price. We had specifically said that we would take one with any type of deformity at that time.) 4. Know that an animal is NOT like a sweater that a mail order company happens to provide in the wrong color. It is a living, breathing, loving family member and relies on you. Accept it for better or worse and try to help it forever. 5. Still, do NOT accept the animal until you reviewed the health and longevity records of the animal's parents, and preferably other relatives such as sibs, half sibs, and/or grandparents. Work those into your choice. 6. Get things in WRITING. Special Note: Just because the breeder is also a vegetarian, or also a freak for the same musical group, or in your religion does not mean that you are safe. Steve's parents did the last one in relation to rag doll cats recently. They bought sight-unseen from a breeder in SLC who is also LDS like they are and had a pretty webpage, naively figuring that actually meant something. Can you say, "Arrrggghhhhhhhhhh!"? First, the breeder switched cats; second,the breeder talked them into buying a second cat at the same time; third, the cats were not spayed though that was in the price; fourth, the cats were supposed to have been dewormed but they were wormy. fifth, the cats BOTH have feline eosinophilic granuloma complex (Info on same desired.). When selling ferrets: 1. Clarify what the purchaser wants and get that in WRITING. 2. Be sure that your own side of the equation is clearly stated in writing. 3. Provide full health and longevity info on the line to the purchaser, and have vet make out a general health statement on letterhead even if that costs you a bit more. 4. Fulfill your part of the bargain. Remember that old retail rule: If you do something wrong ten times as many people will hear about it than would hear if you do something right. 5. Provide date of birth, the vet statement along with what has been done and what should be done for the first year and on what schedule, and the lines' health info in writing for purchaser to keep. 6, Make at least one follow-up call to check on how things are going. BOTH: 1. Expect that a number of times something will go wrong, anyway. You are only minimizing the rate and severity. [Posted in FML issue 3323]