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Post by ponyolovesham on Apr 29, 2011 23:05:17 GMT -5
Ok, so I've fallen in love with a couple ferrets at petco, they are kits and that's what I'm looking for  I know as always petstore vs. Shelter is always a debate but I still value you guys opinions. I know petco sells marshalls ferrets, they are more expensive, etc. My question is what's wrong with marshalls ferrets? Has anyone had bad experiences? Ijust feel so bad for the petco ferrets and atleast I know the ferret shelter ferrets here are taken excellent care of. Any thoughts?? |
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Post by Sherry on Apr 29, 2011 23:18:08 GMT -5
Generally, Marshall's has been breeding for docility, and obviously for fancy colours. Unfortunately, that means the genetics aren't the best. There are some jaw and skull deformities coming to light, where the ferret can't open their mouth all the way, which also causes some difficulties in eating, and with breathing.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 30, 2011 0:21:22 GMT -5
Just thought I'd point out that chances are most of the shelter ferrets did originally come from pet stores and are Marshall Ferrets anyways. The main debate is that you support the pet stores and they get more ferrets and then Marshall's keeps breeding more ferrets. By adopting you're giving a ferret a second chance. But on the other hand someone with no experience or research could adopt the petco ferrets and a few months later they could end up at the ferret shelter, so you could be skipping a step by getting them. Or worse - they could end up in a bad home that doesn't surrender them to a shelter. It's really one big circle of arguments, don't worry I'm having the same dilemma!
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Post by ponyolovesham on Apr 30, 2011 0:33:44 GMT -5
Yea I definitely thought of that one, that 90% of shelter ferrets are petstore ferrets anyways. I in no way support petstores, especially if the animals aren't being properly taken care of :/ these ferrets aren't but they were so loveable and I would be rescuing a ferret. Truth be told there is no way we can get petstores to stop selling small animals, people are always gonna buy but atleast if more knowledgeable owners bought them it would be better.
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Post by ponyolovesham on Apr 30, 2011 0:36:16 GMT -5
The way I see it, rescue a ferret in a more dire situation (petstore) but atleast shelter ferrets are better taken care of by knowledgeable people
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Post by ponyolovesham on Apr 30, 2011 0:38:39 GMT -5
I'm thinking I could maybe adopt a lone ferret from the shelter (one that came in with no cagemates) then adopt the second from petco. That way I'm helping both sides.
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Post by Heather on Apr 30, 2011 1:23:01 GMT -5
Go where your heart leads you....you won't get any flack from anyone here. Almost all the ferrets that have called my house home have come from petstores at some point in their lives...they then went to homes that eventually didn't have time for them, found out that they stank, cost money, required to see a vet, people have allergies....every excuse you can think of. I've just rescued a petstore baby....he was going to be returned to the distributor because he required medical care....which means he would have been destroyed. The manager at the petstore couldn't bear that (she has no control over the owner's decision, she tries) so she called me to "dispose" of the Minion. If this is your first ferret, I would suggest (unless you've got a lot of patience and your hands and toes are tough) a marshals baby is an awesome starter ferret. They do have health issues, Sherry outlined a couple, but they're sweet and docile and make a very good first ferret. Many shelters can also set you up with a docile "secondhand or used" ferret. My advice, go where your heart leads you. The ferret will call to you  and no I"m not crazy....ask any of the members on here if they've listened to the ferrets...you'll see ;D ;D ciao |
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Post by ponyolovesham on Apr 30, 2011 2:25:06 GMT -5
I understand that completely. I fell in LOVE with these 2 petco ones. I.couldn't get them yet though because I'm still saving up supplies and money but omg they would have been mine!
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Post by miamiferret2 on Apr 30, 2011 10:47:55 GMT -5
You will love them just as much if they came from a petstore. Kits are harder to take care of IMO. But you just have to follow your heart. Sonny came from petco. I walked by the glass pen, he was curled up and dozing off in the big kibble bowl, and he just popped his head up looked at me as if he recognized me and was waiting for me. I asked to hold him and they unlocked the cage and handed him to me. He looked very healthy he had just eaten uncle jims duck soup and he had some on his chin. He was an adorable baby. I fell in love and I took him home with me.  How could I resist this face.  |
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Post by fearless on Apr 30, 2011 11:00:39 GMT -5
I was planning on adopting from a shelter, but it was too far for me. I found a lone ferret on Craigslist and got him. Jude was fun and had just been adopted from Petco a week earlier. I was planning on getting Jude a shelter ferret for a friend... but I went to Petco and ended up with Zoey, a small kit in the glass cage that was begging for a tummy rub. I too really wanted to help the Shelter, but when I looked mine only had bonded pairs, and I really didn't want to have to seperate the two or try and fit three ferrets in my crappy SuperPet cage. So I ended up with two babies from Petco (one indirectly) they are a lot of work from what I remember my grown docile boys to be. Ultimately, go with your heart. I tried to get my hands on some older ferrets and it never worked out. I was just destined to be with two baby kits from the same cagemates.
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Post by whipple on Apr 30, 2011 11:35:30 GMT -5
Both mine are from pet stores. Vixen was all alone, and I went back twice to see her. The second time I brought her home.
Siren was the color of ferret I had always wanted. So I had to get her. Plus she was so tiny, I had never had a ferret baby before.
Chances are good my next ferret will be from a pet store. This is because it was so easy to switch Siren, and I know for a fact that the ferret rescue here feeds their ferrets kibble. Plus, I like the variety. If I had the option of buying from a breeder though, thats the way I would go.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 30, 2011 19:51:53 GMT -5
Generally, Marshall's has been breeding for docility, and obviously for fancy colours. Unfortunately, that means the genetics aren't the best. There are some jaw and skull deformities coming to light, where the ferret can't open their mouth all the way, which also causes some difficulties in eating, and with breathing. Thats interesting Sherry. My Blitzen I rescued and adopted from the shelter, his whole tooth issue was a birth defect. Even though he can eat a million times better since his surgery to get the tooth removed and such he, still chews really weird and sometimes grinds, and whats so odd is he cannot pick up toys or anything  I dont get it, I first thought it was bc the tooth there, but its been gone since beginning Jan. He tries to pick up even a small plushy cant do it it. Maybe he cant open his mouth like you were saying? I dunno, I always wonder; I'll have to ask my vet more about it. |
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Post by Deleted on Apr 30, 2011 20:08:21 GMT -5
Nothing more cute then lil kits! I just die of cute overload when I see them, tis why I stay away from them ;D Nothing more adorable then a kit!  I think ferrets at the pet store are way more likely to get a home then a ferret at the shelter! Almost all of them get a home at the store, not the shelter. There are so many ppl going to the shelter to buy instead of adopting. At the shelter they are almost always a marshall farm too, so your getting the same type of ferret. Same health and issues, same nice temperament too. And sure the ones at the shelters being cared for alot better then the store, your right! but no adoptions means no more ferrets can enter the shelter when its full! Which means in the long run even more ferrets are hurting out there, with out a place to go and in a bad situation! Shelters full cant accept more, ppl dont have no where to surrender the ferrets so they neglect them, sadly some turn them loose, all kinds of things. Its extremely sad  As much as the shelters want to take all the ferrets in, they just cant when they are at the limit, and right now there are so many turn ins, shelters are full and alot not accepting any more in until adoptions. So adopting not only are you giving a ferret(s) a wonderful home, your also saving lives by opening a slot for more needy ferrets to come into the shelter. Adopting one you are helping a pet co ferret, its where the bulk of them come from. Very very few our our local turn ins are from other stores. I bet you can find alot of younger ferrets at the shelters right now, all the unwanted Christmas gifts that are now surrendered into the shelter. Seems toward the fall our local shelter gets alot of youngsters turned in, last years Christmas gifts, not cute lil balls of fur anymore, kids got bored with them, I've heard it all. I don't run a shelter but a active volunteer for our local one and surrounding area. I see so many horrid things coming in, its terrible |
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Post by Deleted on Apr 30, 2011 20:48:58 GMT -5
A life saved, is a life saved no matter where you get your little one from. My Jack was dumped at a shelter and I bought Brady at Petsupermarket. Main differences - 1.) I have no idea how old Jack is  . While I know Brady was born August 2010. 2.) Jack came with perfect potty habits, while Brady was a disgusting little piggy. 3.) Jack has an extreme sweet tooth and tries to steal anything sweet while Brady has zero interest in the bad stuff. I assume this is because Jack's previous owner used to feed him crap he shouldn't be eating. |
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Post by Heather on Apr 30, 2011 23:12:58 GMT -5
Generally, Marshall's has been breeding for docility, and obviously for fancy colours. Unfortunately, that means the genetics aren't the best. There are some jaw and skull deformities coming to light, where the ferret can't open their mouth all the way, which also causes some difficulties in eating, and with breathing. Thats interesting Sherry. My Blitzen I rescued and adopted from the shelter, his whole tooth issue was a birth defect. Even though he can eat a million times better since his surgery to get the tooth removed and such he, still chews really weird and sometimes grinds, and whats so odd is he cannot pick up toys or anything I dont get it, I first thought it was bc the tooth there, but its been gone since beginning Jan. He tries to pick up even a small plushy cant do it it. Maybe he cant open his mouth like you were saying? I dunno, I always wonder; I'll have to ask my vet more about it. My Boris is one of those kids. He can't close his mouth properly. When we investigated it he has a jaw malformation. What we can't decide if the jaw malformation is caused by the the problem with the skull itself which appears to have issues with the nasal passages (appear very narrow) and the throat (where the spine attaches to the base of the skull (it's tilted oddly). This impedes his breathing. If you scruff Boris he will stop breathing, it's rather scary. As he's got older his breathing has become raspier and he has greater difficulty eating as it interferes with his breathing. As it's a bone malformation, the skull and jaw there is nothing that can be done ciao |
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