Amen to that Roary. I got my ferts from Petco and they were well cared for, happy kids. And the fert I rescued also has a tattoo in her ear. She's a well adjusted happy kid too. The early spay neuter has been researched in canines and felines, I don't know if it has been researched in ferrets also or not, but in canine/felines it doesn't do any harm. Only side effect is that they may end up slightly smaller than they would have otherwise. And it prevents more unnecessary breeding and overpopulation. Plus ferrets who are not neutered can become aggressive, and ferrets who are not spayed will become anemic unless they are bred. I'd MUCH rather have my fert already spayed or neutered when I buy or rescue him/her then having to do it myself, uncertian about the price and the experience of my personal vet. I doubt very many vets have performed that surgery on ferrets. What if you couldn't afford it after you bought the fert? Would you want to deal with the aggression or the potential death of your ferret because he/she wasn't already fixed when you got him/her? No, I don't have all the answers. But I like the system the way it is. The ferts I've heard of who have ended up in rescues were abandoned or neglected by their owners, not the stores that sold them. Maybe we can petition the stores to come up with a way to make new owners prove they'll take care of the pets. That seems like a more viable solution. Heather ;o) & My Belgian Tervuren: Ch. Aquila Faucon Crecerellette CGC TDI www.geocities.com/skyehsc/Kestrel.html [Posted in FML issue 4696]