Re: MF: there are those who target MF because it is the largest supplier of pet store ferrets, and those who target it because it also supplies research ferrets. (Triple F also sells to the research market as well as the pet market, and some others sell only to research.) MF food is no worse than most other reasonable ones out there, though there are some specific foods which are arguably better or worse. Some people don't like the smell associated with fish, though the omega fatty acid proportions are good. There is also a hypothesis now on what may or may not turn out to be optimal protein percentages which has "legs" but the testing hasn't been done so for now there is no way to know if those legs will turn out to be strong enough to support the hypothesis once testing has been done. (It could even well be that individual ferrets will vary in what may be their own optimal levels.) An interesting read on that hypothesis -- including why it is a hypothesis -- is in the Journal of Exotic Mammal Medicine & Surgery (JEMM&S, volume 2.2, Dec 2004, By Dr Mark Finkler who I gather tends to think that the hypothesis will pan out after testing, but is logically scientific enough to recognize that there is no way to know until it is carefully tested -- a characteristic I greatly admire). Basically, if you read the USDA inspections of the assorted ferret farms in the U.S. MF does not turn out to be any worse than most major farms and actually tends to be somewhat better overall in conditions repeatedly. In ages of the kits found in pet stores all the major farms have messed up more than anyone would like. Actually, that is something that two interesting efforts for change beyond the wonderful state efforts are addressing. (Maine and NH have already raised the minimum age for sale in their states and some other marvelous state ferret groups are attempting to be as successful. It would be wrong to not mention such wonderful efforts and I hope I didn't miss any successes.) The two national efforts are very different ones. One is the work of a groups of veterinarians who are working with the USDA and multiple ferret groups to improve the regulations that govern ferret farms (NOT small breeders who do not sell to retail since the USDA is not their regulating agency), distributors, and transportation in an attempt to get older minimum ages for sale and transport as well as other changes to save ferret lives. (Anyone who has read of the ferret kits who died on airport tarmacs will appreciate this.) You can read about this work in http://www.ferretcongress.org/ Scroll down the page to the section which reads >IMPORTANT! An effort is underway by several ferret organizations >to urge the USDA to enact regulations to protect ferrets at breeding >farms and in transit to retail stores. You can help by contacting the >USDA and your federal representatives! >See also the response from the USDA. and select both, please! The other change is one that PetSmart after speaking to the IFC has begun. It is not perfect and it is still in early stages, but they are trying to make sure that they sell no ferrets who are younger than 12 weeks of age. Steve and I recently paid a surprise visit to a local PetSmart and did dental ages on a number of the kits there and they had their adult dentition so in that store so they were over 11 and 1/2 weeks which is the age at which the last of the adult dentition in ferrets erupts. Hopefully, once bugs are found and worked out that will be the norm. it would be great if this can begin what may eventually become a pet store industry-wide pressure to sell kits who are older, and who are healthier specifically due to being older before being separated from their mothers and surgically stressed by spaying or altering. [Posted in FML issue 4889]