Lynn, I thought you had a response by now. Obviously not so I'll try to answer your questions. If it is a Marshall Farm ferret, it has had one distemper vaccination shortly before leaving the farm (8 weeks). Most stores do not keep up on their vaccinations. They need another distemper vaccination at about 12 weeks and one more at 16 weeks; then annually after that. If they've not had any shots but the 8 week one, and it has been a considerable time since that one, a two shot series, 4 weeks apart has been recommended. A rabies vaccination at 14 weeks is a good idea. Put at least 2 weeks between any distemper and the rabies vaccinations. I'd highly recommend the rabies vaccination if for no other reason, should the ferret nip or even scratch someone, you might talk your way out of having it taken and killed for a rabies test. In the US, only NH has a state law granting vaccinated ferrets a quarantine period. The rest of the state leaves that up to local officials, who will nearly always kill and test. If you have the vaccination record, you might be able convince the "victim" not to pursue the issue with Public Health. Once Public Health gets it, the ferret will very likely be killed. The first US ferret rabies shedding study will be published at the end of this month, from a conference in (I believe) Reno, NV. If the results show, as did the European studies, that ferrets don't shed the rabies virus, then we may be able to get more states to adopt a quarantine law, or maybe even not require vaccinations or quarantine. I'll guarantee that Public Health will demand that we wait until all strains have been studied and the studies repeated over and over and over, so don't hold your breath. Vaccinate. Dick B. [Posted in FML issue 1342]