=== Live long and prosper Ferrets, when treated well and provided with the best in life, can live long and happy lives. Just so some of the FML readers can see ferrets can live long and happy lives, I'd like to share my household with you. I presently have 10 ferrets living with me. They range in age from 8 months old to almost eight years. Two females and two males are intact for breeding purposes, and the rest are retired breeders or late neuters. I did have to have my last Marshall Farm ferret put down this past January with his former breeder friend - they were both 7.5 years old. The MF, Bear, albino, was suffering from lymphoscarcoma. His friend, Streak, silver, had a hematoma that was about to burst. My present two oldsters are a female sable named Jessica and a silver male named Pokey. Pokey took best in alter class at the GLFA show last June at 7 years of age. He experiences spells of disorientation, but since his glucose is being monitored (ranges from 53 to 85), it is being controlled by diet and supplements at this time. Jessica has had bad teeth recently, and had a molar and another tooth pulled last year. She developed a cavity in her remaining molar and I took her to the vet to have it pulled last week. The vet tech mixed her up with a ferret needing adrenal surgery, and she was opened up to find her adrenals were just fine. Then the vet realized the switch, pulled her tooth, and sewed her up. Jessica recovered just fine, so people thinking older ferrets can't handle surgery need to really evaluate on a case by case basis. The next older set of ferrets are in the 5 year range - Lil Bear (albino missing a foot and his tail), Schultz (sable from Germany and still whole for breeding at this time - to be retired this year), Nanuq (silver male who underwent pancreatic and adrenal surgery last year and still has not had a relapse), Princess (chocolate female with cataracts since she was two - never had a litter), and Wendy Darling, Cinnamon mitt, who was just retired from breeding after her third litter last year. My youngsters are Lisel (25% German sable jill, under 2 years old - mated with Schultz and litter is due 4/19ish), Mia Darling (Wendy's cinnamon daughter who is in heat but too young to breed, 8 months), and Little Wilhelm (75% German cinnamon male who is looking for a woman! He is 1.5 years). All are presently happy and healthy; the girls all just got their rabies shots (I don't vaccinate ferrets 6 years or older unless it is for a show), and I'm taking Princess and Nanuq to the LOS specialty show in PA April 5, and Schultz and Nanuq to the Baltimore SOS show on April 19th. What do I tribute to their health? Good food (I use a mix of TF, Iams and Pro Plan), lots of love, regular vet checkups, exercise, and keeping them caged when I can't keep an eye on them. I feed very few treats, and only use Linatone for nail clipping time. === ferret shelters et al.... >From: Stephanie Yoong <[log in to unmask]> >Subject: Fuzzy Folk in Arizona? >I'm a lurker--I was wondering if there is anyone on here from Arizona who >can tell me about shelters and good vets and a place I can find Totally >ferret and other ferret supplies in the Phoenix/Tempe/Chandler Send a SASE to STAR* Ferrets, PO Box 1714, Springfield, VA 22151 and I'll be happy to send you (and anyone else) a list of ferret people in your state or zip area. === Seeing red >'m curious - does anyone know if >ferrets can see in color or in B&W? According to information by Fara Shimbo (FURO), ferrets can see red but little else in the way of color. Pamela Troutman Grant [Posted in FML issue 1883]