Hello Bob, you wrote: >because the intent and control are there, *IF* there is an attempt to >increase certain desirable traits (small teeth, big butts) through >controlled breeding, *THEN* you can say a process of domestication is >taking place. This is why zoo animals are not considered domesticated >even though they are under human control and breeding; their genetics >are preserved rather than manipulated. Bob - I do want to interject some praise for your attempt at solving the dometical mystery -- certainly it *must* be a new microbrew, evidentally available in the NW! BUT I have to ask -- WHY is it your opinion the there are no domesticated ferrets in VT, NH, ME?? Is this a brand of ferret bigatry? What a shemae and inna ferrets live free or die state to-- now I must tell them all to be wild animals! Geez, it seems to me we ( ferret owners in VT, NH, ME) have been providing your three stated requirements: >it means an animal (or plant) is under human control (feeding, breeding, >housing, etc.) for a specific purpose (fur, milk, pets, steak, etc.) which >has caused some change to make it more adapted to human intent or control >(behavior, reproduction, size, fur characters, appearance, etc.). I guess perhaps we will need to ship you then next beloved undomesticated NH ferret who meets his/her demise so you can examine it and let us know how fare our NH ferrets have to go to be domesticated-- not domestical! alicia volunteer caretaker for Ferret Wise ( the newly pronounced un domesticated ferret shelter!) http://www.dartmouth.edu/~crassi/index.html [Posted in FML issue 2576]