|
Post by Sherry on May 1, 2011 0:14:51 GMT -5
Miss Emily is like that. She can't yawn as wide as the others. Her's isn't as bad as your Boris', and it's more of can't open as wide, as compared to can't close it all the way. She makes the weirdest noises when she eats. It's like she's mouth breathing while trying to eat. At first we thought her problems were related to the brain damage she suffered with her previous owners(she accidentally got shut in the fridge for a period of time), but after reading about them not being able to yawn when scruffed, I checked, and no, she can't.
|
|
|
Post by Heather on May 1, 2011 1:16:33 GMT -5
Sad, because you can't produce that many of them that they don't know that this is happening ciao
|
|
|
Post by Sherry on May 1, 2011 1:21:48 GMT -5
As we'd discussed before though- it really seems like they are trying to produce a ferret who has a shorter life span so they sell even more
|
|
|
Post by ponyolovesham on May 1, 2011 11:53:32 GMT -5
Ugh
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on May 1, 2011 18:09:57 GMT -5
Heather thats terrible about Borris, poor guy I just dont know how these places like that can still be allowed to produce animals. With such defects and poor health that we all see, and so many other things they do thats just terrible. Here's ferrets like poor Borris that have to suffer. I am thankfully Blitzen is not that bad, for most part his issues have been helped through surgery. not sure about the skull, seems ok to me. As we'd discussed before though- it really seems like they are trying to produce a ferret who has a shorter life span so they sell even more oh I am sure your right Sherry, we already know they are all about the money not the ferrets. Ferrets for them is just another number, they are treated like merchandise. I can totally see their thought that if they dont live as long ppl will go out and buy more again. Wish the sales would dwindle down big time, I think it would make a huge impact. Since they are treated like merchandise, I am sure like all things its about the supply and demand. If there are no sales, then there's no demand and they would have to decrease production. Maybe that would open their eyes to look into why such a decrease in sales and try to increase the health of the ferret. Thats wishful thinking though, I cant see sales going down like that
|
|
|
Post by Sherry on May 1, 2011 19:07:50 GMT -5
Neither can I, especially as kits are so adorable. And then there are the ones like Willow(bad fear biter), or Suki(going to be sent back), and how do you just leave them to that
|
|
|
Post by Heather on May 1, 2011 20:42:15 GMT -5
The problem is you have to convince a population that believes in buying what it wants when it wants with no thought of repercussion or responsibility. If you don't want it any more, or it costs too much you dump it and buy another. Ferret farms are only supplying a demand...a demand that breeders will not and cannot fill. Let's face it. Breeders for the most part screen and try and make the best choices who gets their baby fuzzes. The people who usually buy at pet stores want their fuzzes right there and now. Some buy because they don't have access to breeders (it's not like it's made easy to buy from a breeder). Usually, it just happens to be that a ferret is there and catches their eye. Think about it (I'm not blaming anyone here, ok....it's a matter of fact and if everyone here on this list refused to buy a ferret from a store, it wouldn't even make a dent on the impact to the ferret farms, so don't even think for a moment that I blame anyone here). The purchase of a ferret from a pet store is often a purchase of whim, " look at the cute babies. I want one." How many times even on here we've had someone have an attack of ferret math on board? How often do we actually tease someone on to buy another baby fuzz? So, how do you convince all those that want a ferret, those that shouldn't have a ferret (a breeder would never accept them), those that can't find a breeder not to buy from a petstore something that is right there and available to them but they shouldn't buy it. It's not going to happen ciao
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on May 1, 2011 21:01:40 GMT -5
Im my opinion you should adopt from a shelter. You are saving more than just one ferret. Like wepamperpets said you are opening up another space for another ferret and your money goes to a good cause. It will help save even more animals. When you buy from a pet store your money goes towards producing more ferrets in a mill. So you save on ferret but another just takes its place. It is always better to adopt.
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on May 1, 2011 22:45:47 GMT -5
Well I am going will following your heart. It is always a difficult argument for me because I really support adoption, and I feel pets find themselves in pet stores and it is not their fault they are there. People love animals, and the demand for ferrets has made Marshalls a big business. I will not judge Marshalls, I don't know anything about the person who started the company, and I do know what it is like to run a corporation and experience judgment regardless of my best intentions and efforts. I just know that all ferrets that are here, whether in a pet store, shelter, offered online, backyard breeder.....are here because a human brought them into the world. These beings need love wherever they are and if your heart speaks to one of these little sweeties, scoop 'em up and take them home if you can care properly for them!
|
|
|
Post by Heather on May 1, 2011 23:55:42 GMT -5
Here... here ... well said Suzie. There is nothing that can be done about these farms. Marshals will exist if they sell to the pet market or not. I would sooner a baby ferret finds its way into someone's arms than in a plastic bag for dissection for a bunch of med students . So love your ferrets no matter where they came from...walk the path....if you choose to live with one of these creatures, if you do nothing, love it and give your heart to it. That's what counts where it came from isn't important....because they don't care. We, the humans, are the ones creating the politics ciao
|
|
|
Post by miamiferret2 on May 2, 2011 7:10:08 GMT -5
Poor Boris.
|
|
|
Post by joan on May 2, 2011 9:45:35 GMT -5
I always recommend that a first time owner adopt from a shelter, as the shelter operator will know which ones are suitable and they will be nip/bite trained, most will be using a litter box, and they have been vet checked. They will also know which ones have skeletal defects or health problems which make it difficult for them to live a normal life. A breeder ferret, especially a kit, is NOT suitable for the vast majority of first time, inexperienced owners.
|
|
|
Post by Heather on May 2, 2011 12:51:50 GMT -5
I agree Joan. We've had a couple of people (not recently) who have either started out with a breeder ferret or bought a breeder ferret after being owned by a marshals ferret and felt totally overwhelmed by the task at hand. Actually, to the point of returning the kit (thank goodness for breeders who are willing to exchange fuzzes) I've got a breeder ferret from a couple who bought Thor after their marshals ferret had passed on. The problem was that they had got the marshal fuzz as a rescue (not really a problem unless you base the activitiy and docility of this ferret as a bench mark for your next ferret) and figured that (a) a kit would be the same and (b) lets buy a BYB ferret as a kit because he's cheaper They were totally overwhelmed and Thor was rehomed by the time he was 6 months and turned into rescue (mine) before his first birthday. He was a very sweet fuzz, really. He was an active (mentally challenged) little fuzz, who bites randomly (most of the time he doesn't) and cannot for the life of himself figure out what a litter box is or what it's used for (well, he thinks it's to store his stuffy...poor addled laddy) So, without a lot of support, I would not suggest a breeder ferret for a first time ferret owner. There is a reason why I refer to marshals ferrets as "beginner's ferret" ciao
|
|