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Post by shilohismygirl on Jan 4, 2011 19:40:00 GMT -5
I'd really love to have an RC or PV ferret-My sweeties are very mild mannered but I wouldn't mind feisty at all. Of course, I know it'd be more of a challenge, but it's always something I'm up to.
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Post by Jackie on Jan 5, 2011 0:34:45 GMT -5
I understand where you're coming from, shilohismygirl. My two girls are sooo docile, it sometimes makes me worry. Marshall ferrets seem to lack the vigor of a normal ferret sometimes. I think I'd like having a feisty little girl.
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Post by katt on Jan 5, 2011 6:49:16 GMT -5
I got to handle and trim nails of RC's, PV's, FFF, and MF, and found that MF were the easiest. FFF were the bitiest to me, but still, none of the mill ferrets hurt like the breeder's ferrets did. There were probably more Real Canadians than Path Valley because at the time all PetCo stores had quit selling Marshall's (they've gone back to Marshall's actually now) and there was a huge influx of RC's. The reason for this, I was told, were so many of the MF kits arriving dead at the store, I don't know why they went back to MF, maybe too many bite complaints and returns. Real Canadians had the most gorgeous coat IMO but from what the shelter people told me they were the ones they had to rehab for bite aggression the most before being able to be put up for adoption. I believe that RC stopped producing ferrets because there was a nasty respiratory bacteria that is impossible to get rid of, the was traced to their ferrets (as the source). There was a thread on it a while back in the Health section... Koda is an RC and Kenai is a Marshalls. Koda was and is a definite biter - not a mean biter, but he'd bite a LOT and HARD. Mostly in play or to show he thought he was boss. It took a lot of training and time to calm him down and he still play bites pretty hard. But neither Shane nor I mind, so we allow it. Kenai we actually had to train TO bite! He was not bitey at all when we brought him him, and we like mouthy ferrets. Where with Koda when playing we had to constantly reprimand him for biting too hard, with Kenai we would wrestle with him and make it a point to not discourage any of his few attempts at mouthing. He quickly became more brave, and now we do have to scruff him on RARE occasion for harder bites, but he does really well. And I would not call him docile at all! haha Maybe it will be different when he gets past the crazy kit phase! But even as a kit Koda would consent to being held and loved on for a bit, and sometimes longer. He would even sleep with me. Kenai? Forget it! He wants to PLAY and GOGOGOGO! haha It will be interesting to see the coat differences when Kenai sheds his baby fluff. Koda had very nice kit fur, not like Marshalls at all. His fur was not scruffy and scraggly like Kenai's was, it was not a raw diet coat, but it was still relatively soft and sleek. Kenai looked like he took a bath and stuck a wet toe in a socket when we brought him home! He had the worst bad-hair-day, every day! His coat was rough, thin, and scragly, as well as uneven. The diet change has made incredible improvements, but he is still not Half as soft as Koda, who has a very, very luxurious coat. It could be though that he still has not hit his major shed, he still definitely has his baby coat, o we will see.
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Post by Heather on Jan 5, 2011 17:48:22 GMT -5
Of the 3 types of farm ferrets we get up here (PV, RC, and Marshals) my fav is the PV's At one time I had 10 PV's and 2 marshals. They are bigger, heavier muscled, smarter, bigger problem solvers and just general sh**s all around. They also come the closest to having the jaw strength that you see in the breeder ferrets. When they bite you, you sit up and take notice. I've only been bit a couple of times but every one of those bites by a PV has gone all the way to the bone. Mayhem managed to nail me 5 times before I could withdraw my hand (he was terrified and in pain) 4 of those bites were to the bone and one of them was in fleshy part at the base of my thumb. Everyone of my PV's were turned in as biters. Now I don't know if that is directly because at one time PV had on their website to flick a ferret's nose when they bit or not (I would bite anyone who flicked me too ) Fun-Go was the last PV that I've got. The majority of my recent rescues have been marshals. I do presently have 2 RC's but they're from western Ontario. I've talked to a couple of pet stores about why they've gone to marshals...biting is the key. Marshals create a very soft ferret. In rescue we used to call them beginner ferrets, no offence to anyone who has marshals, they are sweet. My biggest complaint...I never had adrenal until the last few years. The only PV that I've had that went adrenal was Mad Max, he went adrenal at 10 yrs. I presently have 4 adrenal ferrets, 3 marshals and 1 RC. ciao
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Post by kainslie on Jan 5, 2011 18:06:36 GMT -5
=[ I'm sorry you have to go through this =[ I've only had Sly Bandit for 6 months, and I hear all the things that have been posted here.
Ferret's are hard to live with, and aparently not everyone can live with them.
I'm so lucky with sly, he's pretty aloof. She doesn't really chew much (sometimes cords... we are learning... and sadly EVERY cord in the house is the DH... so he has his words..)
Our biggest issue is accidents around the house, both dog and ferret. or if they do something 'bad' then all of a sudden it's MY animal, and not his, not part of his not nothing associated with him. I have to fix it.
men. pfft.
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Post by rarnold18 on Jan 5, 2011 18:19:17 GMT -5
most of my crew are Marshall's except Sophie Ann and Velma...they have no markings what so ever... they are tiny in comparison of my other guys, sleek I guess you could say. Velma has gotten better at biting, so has Sophie Ann, but they are lightening fast when they do strike. The woman I rescued them from said they came from a petstore in the Tampa area but all of them only sell Marshalls...makes me wonder....
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Post by sherrylynne on Jan 5, 2011 19:38:56 GMT -5
The pet stores here are supposedly only selling Marshall's as well. However, I got two DEW girls from there, neither with any markings, both biters. One girl is 2 1/2 pounds, very muscular(most likely PV), the other(Willow) is tiny, but again, very muscular. The funny part? Lucrezia was hell on wheels when she was younger, but now that she's going on 3, she's calmed down tremendously, and will actually fall asleep in the DH's arms half the time Me, she still bites
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Post by mjohn143 on Jan 7, 2011 8:17:18 GMT -5
If I didn't know better I would swear MegaWeasel was PV. He is smarter, "meaner", quicker, more clever, and not so much big, but muscular. Little body fat compared to Clovis or even the girls. He is just such a bad boy who will no for anything give up. He is the only one I have that has ever and still does bite. You can tell how hew he plays with his toys and the other ferrets, he really looks like a lion taking down a zebra. He runs up behind them and jumps on their backs as he wraps his arms around their waists. It's really funny.
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Post by katt on Jan 7, 2011 8:46:37 GMT -5
Koda does that to! We call it the Bear Hug. I like the Lion and Zebra analogy though!
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Post by mjohn143 on Jan 7, 2011 9:14:00 GMT -5
Haha I would say bear hug too if it were sweet, but I mean he RUNS fast up to them and its more predatory lol. Haha I wouldn't mind a PV at one point. I have never seen any around here though! I don't suppose you can have one ordered? Not that I will be adding anytime soon... I mean I really shouldn't anyway.
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