KJ, please, don't breed those angoras. Angoras are associated with several negative malformations at higher rates, including skull malformations, birth numbers high enough to increase kit mortality and strain on mother, and most commonly difficulty breathing and sinus pain due to closed off nostrils or nostrils with fur growing too profusely in them. The sacrifice number at one of the European breeders due to severe malformations from this mutation was high; buyers did not see the kits lost to get them the appearance they bought. Those who are curious can see the Ferret Genetics site. Some pictures of some of your ferrets and of your last site which concern me -- from your own website: * http://ferrets.htmlplanet.com/cgi-bin/i/images/DSCF0003.JPG * http://ferrets.htmlplanet.com/cgi-bin/i/images/DSCF0006.JPG (stump tail -- note that reduced tail size is associated with an increased risk of several spinal cord problems in mammals in general, for example, humans have a higher rate of spina bifida than most tailed mammals) * http://ferrets.htmlplanet.com/cgi-bin/i/images/DSCF0002.JPG * http://ferrets.htmlplanet.com/cgi-bin/i/images/DSCF0007.JPG * http://ferrets.htmlplanet.com/cgi-bin/i/images/dscf0093.jpg * http://ferrets.htmlplanet.com/cgi-bin/i/images/Ferretry2.jpg * http://ferrets.htmlplanet.com/cgi-bin/i/images/dscf0057.jpg * http://ferrets.htmlplanet.com/cgi-bin/i/images/dscf0093.jpg I keep seeing many neural crest genetic variant ferrets in your photos. The neural crest is a very early fetal area with cells that will later become a wide range of structures. It is turn is split off from the cardiac neural crest. These crests precede organs or features. They are very early. As a result altering them affects many tissues to degrees which virtually always inconsistently vary among individuals (variable expression). A number of the neural crest mutations are extremely ancient but very consistent throughout the animals affected when a population is considered. This is probably no surprise when you consider how early in the fetus these exist. Neural Crest mutations are a very hot area in human genetic counseling because, of course, when you alter the innervation of multiple tissues very early on and then throughout life you runt the risk of seeing a number of changes. Some well documented or reported alterations which are seen more frequently (sometimes much more frequently) with neural crest genetic variant markings include (but are not limited to): deafness, eye defects (not reported so far in ferrets but suggested and there may be undiscovered ones in ferrets; after all, it was only recently found that albino ferrets have peripheral vision field defects), mandible (lower jaw) malformations that prevent them opening fully, dysphagia (difficulty swallowing), syndactyly and polydactyly (toes in a sheath, or extra toes), cardiomyopathy -- especially the harder to find hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (very well documented in a range of mammals so start chest imaging earlier on these ferrets), skull malformations, poor intestinal innervation and resulting medical problems, and several of the neural crest mutations (including the KIT Oncogene and LEOPARD Syndrome increase malignancy rates). Thanks to the NIH recent advances have been made into inquiries of how many kidney genetic woes might increase in rate with neural crest variants. One thing slated for study in this regard is the formation of cystine stones (a problem for which one other major genetic variation is reasonably documented in mammals and several minor ones are). So over time there may be more to learn on that score, too. On a personal note, this intrigues me partly because both of the ferrets we have with a tendency to form cystine stones on diets with more than 35% protein both have neural crest markings that are commonly associated with the KIT Oncogene. Neither has a blaze or panda head -- the better known neural crest genetic variant markings which can be seen with several neural crest variants in mammals such as the KIT Oncogene and Waardenburg, but both have partial mitts and one has a partial bib. Ferrets with neural crest genetic variant markings should have more frequent veterinary examinations and earlier "old age" testing and should not be bred. Sadly, because of variable expression and because you can't see white markings under the coats of albinos or DEWs these conditions may at times be hidden from view. There are other genetic health syndromes associated with some other fancy markings, for example, look at the work of Dr. John Lewington. [Posted in FML issue 5024]