Sukie wrote: Exercise and genetics can be more important, and other factors also influence condition such as getting enough darkness, regular veterinary care, etc. There is some genetic work on people, indicating that sufficient exercise and having the right genetics may be the more critical factors for the unusually healthy and long lived ones, but for the rest of us (most of us) who are not so blessed have to be more careful about a whole range of factors: not smoke, eat well, exercise daily, etc. I have found too Sukie, that taking away the cigarettes, carbos and high fructose corn syrup type drinks from the ferrets has decreased their diabesity, increased their speed through tubes and dcreased body fat allowing them to fit in their tubes to race around. Keeping the ferret room dark as often as possible has helped me sort out the slower conformists. With the darkness I can see them light up those hidden cigarettes I have yet to find in their unknown hidey holes. I believe as time passes and they feel better and have better self-images, they will understand the bad influences of their humans' societal pressures and stay away from them. We have found, as with human physiology, the first two weeks of change are the hardest! DOL Feed rescued animals in two clicks http://www.theanimalrescuesite.com/clickToGive/home.faces?siteId=3 Hide not amongst the shadows of grief, But frolick openly in the meadows of memories. sp [Posted in FML 6776]