From:
ferretsonly@hotmail.com
Date: 2003-03-20 17:50:19 UTC
Subject: RE: Adoption Scare
To: ferrethealth@smartgroups.com
Message-ID: <7045864.1048182619862.JavaMail.root@scandium>
Anna,
>or should i just forget about adopting and buy from a
>pet store?
In addition to all the issues already listed, please don't think that just because you are adopting from a pet store, the ferret would be healthy.
MOST pet stores are interested in their bottom line; selling a product (the ferret is a product). It's unlikely that they know anything about the history of the ferret or will share this with you. There are reports of baby ferrets testing positive to aleutian disease immediately upon being brought home from the pet store (the wholesale distributor was the source of the outbreak).
MOST ferret shelters are more than willing to accurately share the health history of the ferret with you and are interested in finding a good home for their charges.
There are exceptions both ways and all the precautions mentioned by others need to be taken with either pet store or shelter ferrets.
Good luck with your search.
-Carla