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Post by joan on Feb 19, 2011 13:18:34 GMT -5
Joan , I understand that you offer a better guarantee. However, if you do sell a ferret, you sell to very close friends only. This is unfortunate for the general public since most of us cannot benefit from your practices since you don't know us . Most of the aforementioned breeders share common bloodlines, and dilutes are common in nearly all US bloodlines, including Marshall's. Marshall's maintains a very closed breeding pool. Indeed, they do tag their ferrets to avoid inbreeding. However, I've noticed quite a few silvers, champagnes, and patterns showing up in the the pet stores. Champagnes are EVERYWHERE these days ..... this is quite apparent at our local ferret paly days. One thing I have noticed is that there are VERY FEW albinos. I do know that champagne littrs tend to throw quite a e albinos.......so where have all the 'binos gone? Probably to medical research . I love my 'bin girlie!!!!! I LOVE 'bino's. he seem to be RARE in pe stores these days in spite of all the fancy colors. OK - that was my "'bino rant!" -jennifer You're correct in that my health guarantee is very different from any of the show breeders, and none of my ferrets are related to any of the US show stock, except possibly through UI ferrets back at least 15-20 generations. I only breed medium to dark sables (no black sables) from a solid sable background so that I can guarantee temperament, plus health through 5 years of age re the typical ferret diseases (adrenal, insulinoma, lymphoma, and cardiomyopthy). I also guarantee re any congenital defect which might not be apparent at the time of sale. Where did you get the idea that I only sell ferrets to close friends? Many of my buyers are close friends now, but most were strangers to me when they bought a kit from me. I do screen my buyers carefully, since I am breeding hybrids which are not suitable for many or most early neuter owners, and the potential buyer must come to my house to ensure that they understand exactly what to expect from one of my kits. As I've said in other threads, Marshall has far more genetic diversity in their breeding stock than any other commercial breeder I'm aware of and certainly more than any private breeder has access to. I know of at least two commercial breeders from whom they obtained breeding stock in the last 15 years or so, one in the US and the other in Europe, and I'm sure there are others I don't know about.
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Post by Sherry on Feb 19, 2011 15:06:07 GMT -5
Sherry, can you edit the first post in this thread to include which city each one is in? Then people can know if any of them are in their area. Thanks Certainly!
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Post by Deleted on Feb 19, 2011 20:20:41 GMT -5
Oh, WOW Joan, that is thrilling news!!! I heard that you sell to close friends only.....maybe that was a perception somebody picked up since you screen potential owners for people who have quite a bit of experience with ferrets. My kids have been really healthy so far, although they are mildly adrenal at six year old. I'm currently at my limit with 4 ferrets right now. But I definitely am interested in your ferrets for the future. -jennifer
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Post by Deleted on Feb 19, 2011 20:29:09 GMT -5
Joan, may I ask why you don't breed black sables?
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Post by joan on Feb 19, 2011 22:29:14 GMT -5
The idea that I only sell to close friends may have started because I will not sell to anyone who has never owned a ferret before...I send them to the nearest ferret shelter. Plus, I rarely sell jills to those who have only had the early neuters, as they're usually too much of a challenge for them. The hobs are generally more laid back and are much better pets for such owners.
Jackie, I don't breed black sables due to their background of fancy colors. IMO, there are too many health and reproductive problems associated with the BM/BRM colors/pattern. I also wouldn't consider breeding to anything with German blackself in the background, due to their reputation for poor health and increased risk of JL.
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Post by Sherry on Feb 20, 2011 11:39:16 GMT -5
Now that is interesting. I had no idea Black mitts, or black roan mitts had the same problems as the silvers, pandas, champagnes, etc.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 20, 2011 12:39:26 GMT -5
Oh, I had no idea! Is it the mitt part that makes them prone to health issues?
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Post by joan on Feb 20, 2011 13:47:16 GMT -5
The BM and BRM color and pattern ARE silvers...the BM is the same as the heavy silvers and I understand that they don't roan out to the extent that the medium and light silvers (BRM) do. The various problems in the dilute and white marked ferrets are almost certainly the direct result of the mutations which produced the various colors and patterns, as the mutations involved other genes as well, often with deleterious results.
As I understand it, the problems began when pandas and blazes (NCD genetics) were interbred with the original true silver mitts, which didn't roan out and were as healthy and long lived as the sables and albinos prior to the widespread breeding of the fancy colors. There is no way now of telling which ones get their white markings from the NCD genetics, but I think it's safe to say that true silver mitts are most likely rare to nonexistant in the US.
There's been a lot of speculation whether the various health problems and physical defects are a result of the white markings, especially in those with white spotting on the abdomen and back leg knees, the roaning (which is associated with deleterious genes in many species), or the combination of both. Since it's much easier to avoid bringing in such genetics than attempting to breed them out after the problems associated with them are recognized, I made the decision fairly early on to avoid using any breeding stock with such colors/patterns in the background.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 20, 2011 13:53:01 GMT -5
Okay, that makes sense. Sorry for all the questions
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Post by joan on Feb 20, 2011 14:03:30 GMT -5
Feel free to ask questions, as that's the only way to learn. Bear in mind, though, my opinions are probably not shared by most of those who continue to breed the fancy colors. <G>
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Post by Sherry on Feb 20, 2011 15:32:32 GMT -5
Are all of yours polecat, or polecat hybrids now, Joan?
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Post by joan on Feb 20, 2011 16:03:03 GMT -5
I still have one jill who is all ferret...Minx will be 7 next month. Minx's daughter and grandchildren are all hybrids (32% polecat). Even though Basil and Cybill are supposed to be down from several generations of captive bred polecats, I consider them to be hybrids as they lack the distinguishing skull and eye placement characteristics of true polecats. Plus. they have very little of the caution and reserve with strangers that I see in my other hybrids when they've matured mentally and emotionally.
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Post by Sherry on Feb 20, 2011 20:23:13 GMT -5
Yeah, I think I'll stick with ferrets! From everything you've described- I could never handle them ;D
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Post by Deleted on Feb 20, 2011 20:31:52 GMT -5
Joan, I will most likely be contacting you when I'm ready for another set of brats....Your babies sound awesome. (What??? no "drool icon" I can't properly express myself when there's no icon for drooling!!! LOL!!!) -jennifer
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Post by Sherry on Feb 20, 2011 21:23:45 GMT -5
there are a few I'm still looking for ;D
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