In reference to the MF ferrets and the inbreeding, I have known for many years that Marshall Farms is first and foremost a scientific breeding lab, that is that they provide laboratory animals (ferrets) for testing purposes. In fact, they donated the ferrets to Kansas for the rabies testing. In order to provide these animals, they must be as genetically alike as possible to reduce the variables in testing.(Animals that are not genetically alike skew the scientific method and the reliability of the test results.) This means that the ferret gene pool is closed (no new blood introduced) and that they are breeding fathers to daughters, etc. As anyone who has studied history and the British Monarchy knows, when inbreeding occurs, strange things happen. I do not fault MF for providing and breeding these animals for testing (sorry PETA) because we would not have an effective rabies or distemper vaccine without it. I do however, have a problem when these same animals which were not needed to survive beyond the testing period are released for sale to the general public. That is why I will not purchase anything with MF on it. This information is common knowledge and I have been aware of it for over two years. The 6 1/2 yo rescue I have is a perfect example. "Hope" so named because we hoped she would make it to a vet, has a cataract in one eye, adrenal/insulinoma, irritable bowel syndrome and weakness in her back legs. My only non-MF ferret is 4 1/2 and has only been to the vet for her shots. Coincidence? maybe, but all my MF ferrets have had to have major surgery of some type by the time they were 5, and it was almost always either adrenals or insulinoma or both, except for 1 and she had lymphosarcoma. I love all ferrets and I just wish that some weren't born with these kind of strikes against them. This statement is my own and does not reflect the opinions of anyone other than myself. I hope that I have not offended anyone by this statement but as Jimmy Buffett said, "Thats my story and I'm sticking to it". (Sorry BIG if I am stirring up old news.) -Lisa and the Mighty 10 (in order of appearance: Jezebel, Bandit, Bruiser, Misha, Pele, Yodhe Vawhe, Dijon, Rascal, Sasha & Hope) [Posted in FML issue 1471]