Kevin, I e-mail Chris from M & P Ferretry about your question about her Angora ferrets. You can also e-mail Chris directly at [log in to unmask] This is what she told me. Chris said any genetic defects are eliminated from her stock with no if ands or buts. She feeds only premium food to her ferrets and they are introduced and handled by people ALL the time. She said all of her breeding stock is chosen from a wide variety of stock from ALL over the world where there parentage is checked for Health & Temperment. She doesn't use New Zeland stock as it tends to be agressive. She dosn't breed for DEW due to deafness and she leans twards the dark sable as they have less problems with genetics and health issues. She stated that most of her ferrets live to 7 plus years old without and health problems. Chris said she also feels that late altering does contribute to giving them a better start in life and forbades de-scenting. (A gal after my own heart.) Chris stated that the truth is that there are a lot of retro viruses out in the world that no one has total control of. ( This is very true.) SHe explained that once a kit leaves her ferretry, she has no control of how it is raised. (Nor does any other ferret breeder.) She also stated that she stands behind her kits 100% the first year of life. She said that the angoea kits are a bit more challanged as their gene pool is very small and no records have been kept on their ancestry. She also stated that in her hopes of getting unrelated breeders, she has purchased breeding stock from various parts of the Netherlands. Chris said if anyone else has other questions, feel free to e-mail. Debi [Posted in FML 5722]