I'm not certain (as Wolfy suggested) that there is any proof that ferrets in the UK are any healthier or live longer than ferrets in the US. Re: diseases, I've noticed on the Ferret Health List that there are posts by a Brit (Tony) who has ferrets, and he had mentioned his first ferret became insulinomic and now another has lymphoma. He has (as others have in the UK) used deslorelin there as we do here as a preventive for adrenal disease in neutered animals. In addition some of the drugs used to prevent or treat ferret illnesses (lupron I think?) have been used in Europe (the Netherlands) before they were used in the US. I don't know what most owners in the UK feed their ferrets, (I emigrated in the late 60's and know no-one over there who keeps ferrets) but suspect that some use regular processed foods along with some meat. But there are dry foods for ferrets sold in the UK as they are here. However, you cannot prevent adrenal disease, pancreatic tumors or lymphoma with diet (as far as I know). See this site which has a list of ferret illnesses known to the UK owners : http://www.britishferretclub.org.uk/ And I suspect that those ferrets that live long lives over there are just lucky genetically to have good health - as do some ferrets here in the US. The other advantage for the UK ferrets is that some are kept in normal daylight (in the UK they are sometimes kept out in a shed in the garden). I think its the luck of the draw. US ferrets are all derived/imported I think from UK ferrets. Anyone know if that's where the US ferret stock came from? Re lifespan - one UK veterinary site http://www.darwinvets.com/other/ferrets-pets mentions that complete ferret foods are now available and are a good choice. That vet site says life span is 8-10. Another UK site http://www.ferrettrust.org/ferret-care-a-info.html mentions a life span of 6-8 years. Also mentions that if jills (females) are neutered they should be treated with GnRH - a product akin to Lupron. So, I have a feeling that ferrets in most parts of the world have a predisposition to their illnesses because of the their natural biology. European Polecats - the wild ancestor - kept in zoos (I'm guessing probably fed meat) live to about 8 years of age. This site says probably five years in the wild http://www.wildaboutbritain.co.uk/polecat but of course living off the land has its own risks! If there are any UK FML members (? does the list extend to the UK?) maybe they can weigh in on this topic. It would be nice to know if any other countries have different lifespans or rates of disease. But it's difficult to get hard data. They certainly have been a boon to humans - no other animal species (as far as I know) develops gastric ulcers and gets influenza. My dad never knew that his relief from his ulcer in the 1970's was all due to the discovery (by an Australia researcher) that ferrets develop ulcers which can be treated. The ulcer is caused by helicobacter mustelae which can be eradicated with antibiotics, then the ulcer goes away. A similar bacteria H. pylori causes ulcers in in humans. My dad never knew he owed ferrets for his eventual relief from stomach pain! Meryl [P.S.] And if I hadn't married my late husband (we met in London at college) and come over with him (since he first had a post doc at Harvard, then we moved to CA) I would never have gotten a job as a lab tech in a San Diego research lab, and hence helped smuggle four ferrets out (surplus - going to be euthanized - researcher left) and gotten hooked on ferrets!! [Posted in FML 7401]