Looking for breeding ferrets

[ejfox]

Prefer sable or silver panda - fem & dark sable or black male
Must beable to ship to TX - price negotiable

 

[dragonflyreptiles]

I would contact Marshall Farms:
http://www.marshallpet.com/resources/cust_service/contact.asp

 

[Rebel Dragons]

Marshall Farms does not sell ferrets still intact. All of the kits are altered within the first 2 weeks of life.

 

[Rebel Dragons]

Here are some breeders I recommend from my days in the ferret world.

http://www.mindspring.com/~ferrets/ Owned by Sally Heber

http://www.mindspring.com/~jbferret/ Owned by Vicky McKimmey

http://www.hillcrestferrets.com/ Owned by Ann Barzda

http://www.mischiefmakerferrets.com/ Owned by Cheryl Kern

Those are just a few of the breeders I could think of off the top of my head. I don't think they ship as most ferret breeders don't but you may be able to work something else out.

Good Luck,

 

[dragonflyreptiles]

Marshall Farms does sell intact ferrest to breeders, IF the breeder trying to buy them can show that they are indeed set up to care for them and have vet records to show proof of previous care for such animals.

I personally would not even consider to buy from a breeder that did not go through all of those steps just to make a quick buck.

Ferrets have a nasty scent during mating, that is why they are descented. They altered because they are a lot like cats, get a few and have tooooo many.

All in all the Ferret breeders/sellers are intelligent and try to allow people to have pets without allowing them to be a mass concern for animal control to have to deal with. Ferrets will chew up a lot of things in your home, they will steal, that is the entire need in long away times for a ferret.

They can BE good pets but to breed them takes a ton on concern for them and sellers that only allow for proper breeding and sales.

 

[Rebel Dragons]

Marshall Farms does sell intact ferrest to breeders, IF the breeder trying to buy them can show that they are indeed set up to care for them and have vet records to show proof of previous care for such animals.

I personally would not even consider to buy from a breeder that did not go through all of those steps just to make a quick buck.

Ferrets have a nasty scent during mating, that is why they are descented. They altered because they are a lot like cats, get a few and have tooooo many.

All in all the Ferret breeders/sellers are intelligent and try to allow people to have pets without allowing them to be a mass concern for animal control to have to deal with. Ferrets will chew up a lot of things in your home, they will steal, that is the entire need in long away times for a ferret.

They can BE good pets but to breed them takes a ton on concern for them and sellers that only allow for proper breeding and sales.

If Marshall Farms does indeed sell unaltered ferrets, it's a new "thing" they came up with, within the last couple years. Marshall Farms is a ferretry in New York that supplies most of the country's pet stores with kits. There are many articles and news reports linked to the sub-par care and inhumane conditions at their facility. If anyone should be avoided it should be them. I won't even mention how the ferrets are altered as it's quite a cruel process and I don't care to even think about it.

The breeder links I provided are some of the best of the best in the ferret world. All of whom hold positions in the AFA (American Ferret Association) which requires a very high level of care and husbandry to become a member. As far as your quick buck comment goes, Wendy. I can guarantee you that most breeders will turn down a sale a lot quicker than any reptile breeder I can think of. Anthoer goal of the AFA and it's members is to decrease the number of ferrets arriving in shelters and ASPCA's around the country. Also, all of the breeders I mentioned make you sign a contract to even purchase the ferret. Part of the contract being that if you in the future no longer wish to keep the ferret it MUST be returned to them. You will find buying a ferret from a breeder a much more satisfactory transaction, IMO.

Descenting and altering are 2 diffrent processes, Wendy. Altering the ferret is a spay or castration. Descenting is removing the scent glands in the groin area. However, even after being descented the "musky" order still remains. It's just not as potent as with a hob or jill. Also, the reason a ferret is altered early in life is to limit the size and temperament of the ferret in general. NOW TO THE #1 REASON FERRETS ARE ALTERED, if you don't spay a female ferret it will DIE about a year later. Once it reaches sexual maturity it must be bred or it will die, plain and simple. The females will continue to menstruate until bred or death. There are a few drugs on the market that will stop the menstruation but they are not 100%. That is why many breeders have V-Hobs. A vasectomized male that can breed the females out of heat but can't make the babies. All the fun without the responsibility.

You are correct in saying that ferrets steal and require a TON of attention. Anything rubbery is a real "steal" for them.

At my high point I had 13 ferrets. It was like having 2 full time jobs just keeping up with them.

 

[Rebel Dragons]

Here is a quote from Marshall Farms website.

"To avoid pet overpopulation and prevent health problems, every Marshall Ferret is neutered (spayed/castrated) and descented before being shipped. Two black tattoo dots on the right ear identify that these procedures have been performed. By neutering our ferrets, problems that occur during normal mating season are avoided."

I have had a couple ferrets that came from Marshall Farms and both of them had major health issues. Mookie died from adrenal cancer at 1 yr of age. Surgery was not an option due to the tumor being wrapped around the vena cava. Also, Logan died of a heart condition at the age of 2. Marshall Farms in the end paid for all the vet services due to their sub-par breeding. It was quite a fight but they did follow through with the "heath guarantee" they advertise.

 

[dragonflyreptiles]

Did you buy them direct from Marshall Farms?

 

[Rebel Dragons]

Nope, they were purchased from a pet store.

Only authorized pet dealers can purchase from Marshall Farms.

"Marshall Ferrets are available every week, all year long. They are shipped at 7 weeks of age to authorized pet dealers throughout the United States and abroad. Before they leave our farm, they are given a final health check and plenty of food and water for the trip."

 

[dragonflyreptiles]

And if you could read as much as you type I also stated that descenting and altering are totally different things.

If you feel the need to go to BOI topics on Marshall Farms DO it on the BOI not here!

Post your complaint there (THE BOI) with your proof of all of the Vet expences and visits so that informed buyers can make a good buying decision.

 

[Rebel Dragons]

I agree, this did take a turn into more a BOI worthy thread.

Don't take anything I said personally, Wendy. It's just when it comes to Marshall Farms I have a lot to say. Losing Mookie crushed me and I will never get over that lose. He was my first ferret and losing him due to sub-par breeding really ticked me off.

 

[dragonflyreptiles]

Like I said before if you are a true breeder, You can buy from them, just Contact them, they have no control over what happens to their animals that sit in a pet store, for buyers to purchase and not care for.

If you really want to breed ferrets,talk to every breeder you can find, get the low down and the dirty but take your time.

Talk to breeders, get to know them, don't buy breeders from a PETSTORE, that would be impossible anyway and don't fall for the " I got these from" . Certain people would like to see others out of biz due their mouth.

Get your own voice, Talk to breeders, show them that youc an care for the animals!

 

[Rebel Dragons]

Wendy, do you care to share where you got the idea they sell breeder ferrets to "true breeders"? I have already called a few friends of mine that are "true breeders" and they too have never heard of Marshall farms selling whole ferrets.

 

[dragonflyreptiles]

Mike,

I really do think we have already talked about this a while back when but I really wanted ferrets and you talked me out of them even though I wanted to breed them and had no problems being approved to buy breeding stock from various breeders.

I decided that the scent issue would be a factor for my son because you and others stated that it could bother his asthma and that being the scent glandes needed to reproduce would be taken he could still be affected. I also remember the fact that descented ferrets are less likel to breed, which led me to see that they would not be good pets or breeders for my family.

 

[Junkyard]

All I know is that ferrets are illegal in California.

 

[Laura Fopiano]

Agreed Michael

All I know is that ferrets are illegal in California.

But when I comes to ferret's I would defiantly use all of Mike S. (Rebel Dragons) oppinion to heart. He was a breeder of ferrets for a long time and attended many venues in the ferret industry! When it comes to ferrets and ferret knowledge, Mike has it going on!!

 

[Rebel Dragons]

Mike,

I really do think we have already talked about this a while back when but I really wanted ferrets and you talked me out of them even though I wanted to breed them and had no problems being approved to buy breeding stock from various breeders.

I decided that the scent issue would be a factor for my son because you and others stated that it could bother his asthma and that being the scent glandes needed to reproduce would be taken he could still be affected. I also remember the fact that descented ferrets are less likel to breed, which led me to see that they would not be good pets or breeders for my family.

I know we talked about ferrets but this is the first time that I have heard of you wanting to breed them. Who knows, I may have forgotten about the conversation............ I still talk "shop" with ferret people from time to time and could have got you confused with someone else. I dunno

With people who have asthma ferrets can indeed pose problems. The musk can be quite overwhelming even in a descented ferret.

 

[Rebel Dragons]

All I know is that ferrets are illegal in California.

Hopefully sometime in the future that will change.

 

[Lucille]

Can y'all suggest any good ferret sites? I did a lot of reading but it would be nice to have a site that had a lot of info in one place. I recently purchased a pair (altered and descented) of ferrets from someone moving into a no pet apt. as a gift for my older son, who has wanted ferrets for a long time. They came with a cage and ferret accessories (cute little leashes, although I have never heard of 'walking' a ferret).

 

[ejfox]

The best actual reading material I've found by far is a book called "Ferrets for Dummys" which you can usually buy at places like petsmart but I'm sure barnes and nobles and borders would have it as well.

Thanks for those links! I will really look into them - but as far as marshall farms - I would prefer to stay away from them for obvious reasons. My two current altered ferrets are both marshall farms ferrets and both undersized runts - thankfully with no health problems.