Problems with Real Canadian Ferrets?

[kristinb]

I recently became a ferret mom and have been on the lookout ever since to find my girl Jinx a playmate. This has been proving more difficult than I imagined.

I've been in contact with a petstore nearby who said they were due to get ferrets in this friday. I asked where the breeder was that they got them and they said it was real canadian ferrets in Montreal. The only other petstore in the area that normally has ferrets also gets their ferrets from this breeder. It is where my girl Jinx came from originally, as her previous owner let me know that's the petstore she purchased her from, and according to that petstore that's where their stock comes from. I also checked her ear and she has the tattoo that people have said comes from there. I did a quick search about this breeder because I know its another massive breeding program something like Marshall's, although I've heard not quite to the same extent.

My concern came when I found this, which is only from August 2010. www.ferretrescue.ca/smf/index.php?topic=845.0 which i am sure everyone else has seen but can anyone give me more info? I've never seen Jinx displaying any of these symptoms, but now I'm worried about buying another ferret in this area because that's where they all come from. I've contacted the only shelter in driving distance and they will not adopt to me as I do not live in their district, the other one may no longer be running as they haven't returned my calls or emails. Both of these places are over 3 hours away. I've also contacted all the shelters in a 3 hour driving radius and no one has any fuzzie's for adoption nor do have they had any in several years apparently because in several of the municiplalities they are illegal. So now I'm stumped? Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

The only petstore in the area that has any ferrets in, is the one Jinx originally came from. The owner said he has two sable males, both of which came in the week before christmas. He said they came in when they were 4 weeks old which as far as I've read is MUCH too early. They were fixed and descented already, which also has me very worried. So they are only around 10 weeks now, but on top of all that he was $250 each, which seems incredibly expensive to me as that's what I paid for Jinx and her two story FN cage.

Craiglist isn't popular in this area, but I found my girl on Kijiji with no luck on finding another as they are not very common here.

So that's the long and the short of it (more the long it appears), so if anyone could offer me some advice I would really appreciate it!

[Heather]

Some RC ferrets have indeed been sited with this problem. I believe that it was dealt with as it was an importing issue for their US market so I'm sure they dealt with it. There's nothing like hitting them in the pocket book to make them clean up their act I'm sure it's a non-issue now as they have since been written up in the fall about using mink distemper shots for some of the ferrets shipped to the US. RC is a ferret farm like all the rest....marshals, path valley to name a couple of the large one. I've got a couple of RC fuzzes right now. Captain Jack and Yuri are both RC ferrets. They're sweet boys who originally both came from the Windsor area so I'm guessing that RC is used lot down that way. Here they use Marshals I actually prefer the RC and Path Valley ferrets over the marshals. They're a bit more of a handful (you can talk to hurricanekatt about her Koda though I've heard he's settling down now ) What shelters did you try? What area are you close to? Ferrets are not a big thing here like they are in the US. I've noticed a marked decline in rescues coming through my doors the last couple of years (not that I'm complaining) though I think they're being shuffled off onto Craigslist. I only had 2 turned into me this year. Compared to 7 or so one year which left me scrambling for cages
Shelters are notorious for not responding to emails or even phone calls That was a thread on board that got some heavy traffic for awhile as many people popped in and aired their problems about getting some type of response out of shelters.
Those little ones that were shipped so young were shipped for the Christmas market It's really unfortunate but they do cater to the whole pet for Christmas deal . They may have cut you a deal with Jinx because you bought a ferret nation at the same time. There is a huge markup on ferrets (inside knowledge here ). The price you're quoting is rather reasonable really....they go for about $275 here and that's for a Marshals. I know that the wholesale price of an RC is higher than a Marshals.
There aren't many options where we are. Hope for a rescue or buy a farm ferret (both need lovins). No one will give you a hard time whichever way you play it. Good luck with your search, I hope you find a companion for your little one soon. I'd offer you poor Yuri (his best friend passed away last week) but he's a hard place (he doesn't get along very well with anyone ) the only thing I can hope is that the next rescues that come through the door will get along with him so that he will have a companion(s). He doesn't get along with any one else here
ciao

[kristinb]

Well that's a relief that the illness has at least been dealt with, although it worries me as Jinx is 7 months old and would have been a baby around the time all of that was happening.

I live in Tilbury, which is in between Chatham and Windsor (closer to Chatham if you happen to know where that is). I tried two shelters that were around the Toronto area, and also looked into the one in Ottawa as I am planning a trip there in May, but they don't adopt unless they can do a home visit. Ferrets are now illegal in Windsor, so none of the petstores/shelters/or people have them anymore.

Jinx I got cheaper with her cage only because a lady was selling her on kijiji because her children weren't taking care of her anymore. I only knew she came from RC and a petstore because her previous owner volunteered that information to me.

As I am a new ferret mom, I'm also a bit hesitant about bringing home a rather young kit, as I'm sure that's what the lady at the petstore will be getting in. Jinx is wonderful, and already littertrained and nip trained (unless she gets really worked up!), so I've had someone else do all the work for me Do you think she would take to a kit ? Or get annoyed with one cuz they are rather hyper? As far as I know she has been a lone ferret for the last 4 or 5 months.

[Heather]

If Jinx is indeed 7 months, she should accept a kit without too much fuss. Napoleon was chosen by Mischief. Napoleon was a 5 week old Path Valley kit....Mischief was a 10 yr old rather sickly fuzz who had lost his cagemate to a botched adrenal surgery. Mischief had decided to follow his best friend to the bridge so drastic measures were needed. There was a new shipment of kits in (just before Christmas ) Mischief was packed up and went to choose his new friend. He was placed in the cage with all the kit and the one he scruffed and took to the hammy was the one we got for him I can't promise you that RC has all their problems resolved but lets face it they're farm ferrets and if it's not one thing it's another You do what you can.
I"m guessing that you called Randy at Ferretaid? in Toronto.
I know Tilbury, worked there. Lived in Chatham for 4 yrs
See if the lady at the petstore will let Jinx choose her friend. That sometimes works the best
ciao

[Deleted]

my baby is rc and about 7months as well. could be litter mates.

Have you tried London? I would think that would be closer then Toronto.
Wow did not know ferrets were illegal in windsor. any idea when that came about? I have family there that we visit a few times a year, guessing bringing my fuzz butts may not be an option.

[kristinb]

I couldnt find any rescue type of agencies around the london area, I did look though but maybe i missed something? There's a petstore in Belleriver that sells them as well as one in Kingsville. Apparently the ban in Windsor was enacted recently. Anyone who already had ferrets was allowed to keep them but places weren't allowed to sell anymore. At least that's what the humane society in Windsor told me. Neither of the two petstores in Chatham carry ferrets normally. The one will get them in buy I saw the catelog they were looking at and it was a Marshall's one and said they could get some in but I said not to bother. The other petstore did have two a few months ago but I think they may have been someone's that they didn't want and sold to the petstore.

I'd prefer to adopt, but not seeing too many options for that? I will keep looking though And I would really like to be able to bring Jinx to pick out her new friend since I'm not picky!

[Deleted]

This is really interesting to me, I just read through Katt's thread on it too (holisticferret60.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=healthinfo&action=display&thread=229)...all three of my kids are Real Canadians and between 3 to 4 years of age. It looks like the bacteria was isolated in 2010, but I'm wondering how far back the issue goes. Mokkun has had these symptoms since we adopted him in late 2008 (off craigslist, he was about a year old) but we had blamed it on the fact his previous owner practically drowned him in ferret perfume and bad bedding. After treatment with antibiotics only cured the upper respiratory infection but not his persistent cough, our vet told us it was likely scar tissue causing irritation and would probably be a permanent issue. Now I'm not so sure. Akiko came from the Washington Ferret Rescue where it was identified (we adopted her in early '09), but neither she nor Tadakichi (craigslist in summer of '09) have ever shown any symptoms.

[Deleted]

I don't know if this is still true but my understanding was that RC shut down for good after all this. Maybe I'm wrong? Katt knows more about it since Koda is an RC.

[Heather]

No, RC is still operating. They got nailed last year for using mink vaccines. They may not be selling to the US but we can still get them up here.
ciao

[Deleted]

Good to know, Heather. Also very disappointing for me. I had been filled with glee that supposedly a mill was stopped. I don't know if it is in all parts of the U.S. but I am betting that is the case because the PetCos all in WA-OR had quit selling MF and only sold RC, but all of a sudden RC disappeared and they went back to MF a few months ago. Sigh.

[Heather]

As far as any mills go....I would go with RC over Marshals. My preference is for the lesser of evils. Marshals sells ferret babies to labs...I can't forgive them for that. They also raise beagles for the same purpose
ciao

[katt]

holisticferret60.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=healthinfo&action=display&thread=229

Koda is an RC and Kenai is Marshalls. I would take an RC over a Marshalls any day (sorry Kenai!) They are bigger, sleeker, feistier...and somewhat better bred (less inbreeding). Of course a mill is a mill, but RC is hte lesser of two evils. Perhaps you can observe the ferret in the pet store for coughing, etc? Or take it to a vet for an initial exam? It was my impression that the disease was not extremely harmful, nor deadly. Obviously it is not ideal but...
Another thing to consider, I do remember hearing that RC farms shut down. So, if they are producing fuzzies either they did not and are still (Knowingly) spreading this disease, or they have manage to clean their facilities of it and have started over with a new, clean, breeding stock somehow. That might be worth looking into.

[Deleted]

I don't know why, but I'm unable to use that link, it says there is an error

[katt]

Feb 3, 2011 14:16:17 GMT -5 @rarnold18 said:

I don't know why, but I'm unable to use that link, it says there is an error

Weird I just tried it on my work computer and it worked fine...

[Deleted]

Feb 2, 2011 23:38:55 GMT -5 Heather said:

As far as any mills go....I would go with RC over Marshals. My preference is for the lesser of evils. Marshals sells ferret babies to labs...I can't forgive them for that. They also raise beagles for the same purpose
ciao

As Katt said...if they are still around and knowingly spreading the disease, otherwise they cleared their lines of it - I guess I feel like they're just as bad. A mill is a mill, to me - where all animals are looked at merely as a source of profit and not valued living beings.

When it comes to animal testing, don't get me wrong here - I am absolutely adamantly against any kind of animal testing, however, hear me out - until what is considered traditional science comes up with a way to test that does not involve lives, we're stuck. What about those animals that have given their lives for the pursuit of research... That was not for naught. I've heard people say they hate animal testing but if it weren't for that they would have died and now are very confused on the subject. I just wish, myself - that they would work on technology (computer programs of some kind that can emulate DNA strands exactly) that eliminates the "need" for it.