This is, I'm sure, going to be a controversial post. Please feel free to skip over as much of it as you like, but I couldn't keep quiet any longer. There have been a number of posts recently expressing the opinion that American ferrets are genetically inferior to others, and whether our feeding of them is inferior, because they have more medical problems, and more vet visits. I can't argue with either statement - American ferrets (many of whom come from a few larger breeders) *may* be inferior genetically, and natural feeding *may* be healthier for ferrets, however... My point is this: personally, given the choice between living in a space station with only other human beings to interact with, and living a shorter time with humans, other animals, and plant life to relate to, I would choose the variety. Many people who are claiming superior care and/or genetics for their ferrets house them in an entirely separate building, never take them out on leashes, never give them free roam of the house. In short, these ferrets are not pets the way that I (and I believe most Americans) think of pets. I want to interact with my animals (who I usually call my babies - four legged and furred, 3 ferrets and 1 cat). I want to hold them, play games with them, all of those things that I think enrich our lives, as well as the lives of our pets. I think that this interaction increases our awareness of small changes in their habits. For instance, if you're not near your ferrets throughout the day and/or evening, how do you know if one doesn't use the litter box for a few days? I think this awareness gets them to the vet more often. I'm not saying that there is anything wrong with another way of doing things. But I think that there are pros and cons to both, and making a statement that American ferrets are inferior is over simplifying the situation. Non-flaming debate and comments welcome. :) Debbie [Posted in FML issue 5219]