Dear Al Horne, Here at Ferrets NorthWest FNW on Mercer Island (Seattle), in addition to adopting ferrets and other members of the family Mustilidae into qualified homes, providing surgical and organic, aspermic birth control, experimental litter sizing and affiliating with the Humane Society, SPCA, the Seattle Animal Control and King County Animal Control, we also board ferrets for owners going on business trips and/or vacations. Two years ago we boarded two 15 year old, viripotent, sable male ferrets. These were the oldest ferrets we've seen to date. The owners were not aware of each other at the time, but were quite proud of the ages of their respective ferrets. These two males were COMPLETELY INTACT, neither having been neutered nor descented. So, there you are. Does that tell me something about butchering ferrets . . . Hmmm? Edward Frettchenvergnuegen Lipinski, der Frettchen Meister von Mercer Inselreich, Der Staat Washingon, Die Vereinigten Staaten von Nordamerika [Posted in FML issue 1817]