Mary wrote: >That's very interesting Sukie and bears looking into. I like the idea >of asking for records. I know when breeding rabits we had to provide >3 generations back, and if you were a member of the ARBA (Am. Rabbit >Breeders Assn), we had to keep a breeding history on each rabbit. Makes sense. Too often folks are more inclined to provide info on which ferret won which ribbon in what show but not on the lifespans of the lines or the health histories of the lines and at what ages assorted problems occurred. I guess that we all need to remember that there can be pride in ribbons but there is heartache in lives that are too short. Health and longevity first, please. Wolfy wrote: >Sukie, did cat food in the seventies and early eighties have a vastly >different list of ingredients as today? Particularly the first five >ingredients. I don't know, but that sure is a great question. I looked and currently the first ingredient is corn in Meow Mix. It's entirely possible that they changed their formulation and you bring up an excellent point that the rest of us missed, Rebecca. Good lateral thinking, m'lady! This is the sort of thing that shows that we are stronger as a group when we put out heads together. Flaws are important shapers. There are just so many things that have changed over the years, and that could be yet one more. So many variables, so little time... If I had a wish I think that I'd really wish that those who are in an economic position to do so would put money into the ferret fund at the Morris Animal Foundation or other sources of veterinary research funds so that more progress can be made with real studies, beyond all the hypothesizing we've all been doing. We used to put a lot into that area to help ferrets in several such places every year (a 4 figure sum total most years, sometimes more but sometimes less since these were among our favored charities and MAF is even in our wills) but our financial situation for the last couple of years has prevented that so we have to wait till income is stable again to start giving once more. Judith wrote: >Her theory is that the parents' hormonal systems are affected by the >unnatural 'seasons' in a way that also affects the kits in utero, so >that the kits' hormonal systems never really have a chance to be normal. Interesting. I'd never heard that hypothesis advanced. Certainly, there are multiple hormonal influences and interactions between fetuses and the mother, and there are some fetal changes due to maternal environment -- like whether a mother satisfying an addiction like smoking may make the fetus more vulnerable to other forms of addiction through some brain chemistry changes -- that I have read are being studied. I think that the best ferret person to run this by (who also answers a lot of questions) may be the ferret-specialist vet, Dr. Jerry Murray, who is working on some endocrinology work toward new approaches for ferrets in conjunction with researchers at Texas A&M. If you go to the FHL and select his AFERRETVET address instead of hitting reply you can get him directly, or a general post would also be possible since this is health related. His most recent post seems to be http://www.smartgroups.com/message/readmessage.cfm?gid=1423922&messageid=2049 Eleanor wrote: >I myself know of one person who had a ferret before they were legal in >MA and this little girl was raised on iams kitten food and froot loops >without any problems her entire life and lived to be 9 years old! She >was NOT spayed at 4-6 weeks old either! but rather just before or around >her first heat! She was a little panda. Also interesting for several reasons. You know, I don't think that anyone has mentioned a 9 year old panda before anywhere that i can recall reading. Not all ferrets take to all foods offered and I've never heard of a food that at least one ferret didn't reject. Sometimes the food will be accepted with persistence, but sometimes not so then you just have to give what will be eaten. Best of luck on that score. [Posted in FML issue 3956]