I just wanted to take a moment to say thank you to Matan and the other breeders posting in response to his questions [and BIG for allowing us to have a forum where we can have this kind of free discussion]. I have never bred and have never thought about breeding. Normally I would skim through the breeding posts because they were a bit too technical for me. I have read the current posts because they don't seem to fly over my head quite as much as a discussion between the experts. Having some one who is inexperienced asking questions has opened my eyes to all of the things that us non-breeder types don't think about. Both of my girls are Marshall Farms bought from a pet store four some odd years ago. Every now and again I have felt some guilt that buying ferrets from a company that fixes (especially so early) their ferrets was a bad thing to do. I felt that I had a hand in taking away something very special - the ability to have children. That I was depriving them of an important part of their life. After reading that the actual mating is a horrible affair violent and akin to rape, and then all of the health risks involved in their fertility, I don't feel so bad that my girls will always be girls. Beth Minerva & Frumpstiggle the marsh wiggle [Posted in FML issue 3352]