albino fear

[fcuktheban 140]

Still find it shocking that so long as it does the job people don't mind breeding deaf blind ferrets !

 

I'm just wondering what the odds are of them being deaf or blind? There are people on here that have had them for many years with only a few that have had any signs of issues.

[romany52 313]

Still find it shocking that so long as it does the job people don't mind breeding deaf blind ferrets !

 

I'm just wondering what the odds are of them being deaf or blind? There are people on here that have had them for many years with only a few that have had any signs of issues.

As I've said mate, I've had ferrets for 51 yrs, I don't believe any albino ferret can see as well as a ferret should. It's up to the individual what they breed, I was just stating that the OP was correct and that I'd seen it, and that was the reason I favored polecat crosses.

[fcuktheban 140]

Still find it shocking that so long as it does the job people don't mind breeding deaf blind ferrets !

 

I'm just wondering what the odds are of them being deaf or blind? There are people on here that have had them for many years with only a few that have had any signs of issues.

As I've said mate, I've had ferrets for 51 yrs, I don't believe any albino ferret can see as well as a ferret should. It's up to the individual what they breed, I was just stating that the OP was correct and that I'd seen it, and that was the reason I favored polecat crosses.

 

There vision isn't as good but I won't be using mine for bird spotting so they seem good enough to me. As I said before now that I know there is an issue with their vision and possibly hearing I won't be breeding from it.

[Ideation 8,216]

There is no getting away from the fact that albino animals are genetically less sound than normally coloured animals. My granddad chain smoked untipped fags all his life, lived to be 90 odd, doesn't prove smoking doesn't give you cancer. All I'm saying is that the defects are well documented and I've seen them myself, what you do with that information is up to you but just because you haven't seen something doesn't mean it doesn't exist. By the way ferrets with good eyesight work just as well in the dark as blind ferrets do, I don't get what people have got against ferrets that can see !

 

 

No one here was arguing that these defacts did not exist, that they get albinos with defects, but just that the vast majority are fine.

 

As for ferrets seeing or not, as long as my ferrets appear to have a good quality of life and are 'happy / content' thats enough for me. I'm not sure they get that hung up about not being able to see birds flying over head.

[Col_c88 41]

My ferrets love to play spot the difference so it would be devestating if they couldnt see

[Tiercel 6,986]

Still find it shocking that so long as it does the job people don't mind breeding deaf blind ferrets !

 

Ferrets with albinism are far from being blind, impaired vision is the term used. Deafness is a possibility but to what extent no one really knows. You are just using the term blind and deaf as an emotional crutch to back up your argument, when the statistics show that neither is really a cause for concern.

 

To use an analogy like the one you used about your grandfather smoking. If you wear glasses as a child you are genetically different from most of the population does that mean that you should not go on to have children yourself, or that your life is affected in any great way? If you have red hair you are genetically different from the majority of the populace, does that make you any the less effective as a man?

 

Rhetorical questions I know, but it emphasises the point I am trying to make. Albino ferrets have a different genetic make up from polecats, nobody denies that. But it does not affect their working or daily lives. So unless your agenda is to promote the cause of the EU cross, I cannot see why you continue to argue using emotive and misleading descriptions to further your cause.

 

TC

[albert64 1,882]

i've kept ferrets a long time 39yrs,all we kept when i was a kid was white's because all we did was ratting and i've never come across any defects in any i had,

i dont think there will be any white's out there that have not got polecat in them, just because it's white does'nt mean it's not 1/2 or 3/4 polecat.

when there deep in the burrow the only thing there using is there nose,and when a rabbit bolts with a ferret on its tail it does'nt come out and have a look for it,it should put its nose down and scent trail it, dont want mine going bird watching thats for sure

[fcuktheban 140]

Still find it shocking that so long as it does the job people don't mind breeding deaf blind ferrets !

 

Ferrets with albinism are far from being blind, impaired vision is the term used. Deafness is a possibility but to what extent no one really knows. You are just using the term blind and deaf as an emotional crutch to back up your argument, when the statistics show that neither is really a cause for concern.

 

To use an analogy like the one you used about your grandfather smoking. If you wear glasses as a child you are genetically different from most of the population does that mean that you should not go on to have children yourself, or that your life is affected in any great way? If you have red hair you are genetically different from the majority of the populace, does that make you any the less effective as a man?

 

Rhetorical questions I know, but it emphasises the point I am trying to make. Albino ferrets have a different genetic make up from polecats, nobody denies that. But it does not affect their working or daily lives. So unless your agenda is to promote the cause of the EU cross, I cannot see why you continue to argue using emotive and misleading descriptions to further your cause.

 

TC

 

 

You shouldn't talk about romany52's family like that, they had to move once already.

 

My link

[theferreter 311]

i dont no much about ablinos as ive only ever kept polecats and dews but my uncles always kept albinos and i no hes had problems in the past with his getting cadaracks

[romany52 313]

Still find it shocking that so long as it does the job people don't mind breeding deaf blind ferrets !

 

Ferrets with albinism are far from being blind, impaired vision is the term used. Deafness is a possibility but to what extent no one really knows. You are just using the term blind and deaf as an emotional crutch to back up your argument, when the statistics show that neither is really a cause for concern.

 

To use an analogy like the one you used about your grandfather smoking. If you wear glasses as a child you are genetically different from most of the population does that mean that you should not go on to have children yourself, or that your life is affected in any great way? If you have red hair you are genetically different from the majority of the populace, does that make you any the less effective as a man?

 

Rhetorical questions I know, but it emphasises the point I am trying to make. Albino ferrets have a different genetic make up from polecats, nobody denies that. But it does not affect their working or daily lives. So unless your agenda is to promote the cause of the EU cross, I cannot see why you continue to argue using emotive and misleading descriptions to further your cause.

 

TC

Not trying to promote eu crosses at all, I haven't bred any for 3 yrs as I only breed when I need more for myself. Not trying to further my cause as you put it. I haven't got a cause. I take it from your argument that you have a vested interest in breeding albinos, would that be right ?

[romany52 313]

There is no getting away from the fact that albino animals are genetically less sound than normally coloured animals. My granddad chain smoked untipped fags all his life, lived to be 90 odd, doesn't prove smoking doesn't give you cancer. All I'm saying is that the defects are well documented and I've seen them myself, what you do with that information is up to you but just because you haven't seen something doesn't mean it doesn't exist. By the way ferrets with good eyesight work just as well in the dark as blind ferrets do, I don't get what people have got against ferrets that can see !

 

 

No one here was arguing that these defacts did not exist, that they get albinos with defects, but just that the vast majority are fine.

 

As for ferrets seeing or not, as long as my ferrets appear to have a good quality of life and are 'happy / content' thats enough for me. I'm not sure they get that hung up about not being able to see birds flying over head.

So would you breed terriers with poor eyesight then ?

[Ideation 8,216]

There is no getting away from the fact that albino animals are genetically less sound than normally coloured animals. My granddad chain smoked untipped fags all his life, lived to be 90 odd, doesn't prove smoking doesn't give you cancer. All I'm saying is that the defects are well documented and I've seen them myself, what you do with that information is up to you but just because you haven't seen something doesn't mean it doesn't exist. By the way ferrets with good eyesight work just as well in the dark as blind ferrets do, I don't get what people have got against ferrets that can see !

 

 

No one here was arguing that these defacts did not exist, that they get albinos with defects, but just that the vast majority are fine.

 

As for ferrets seeing or not, as long as my ferrets appear to have a good quality of life and are 'happy / content' thats enough for me. I'm not sure they get that hung up about not being able to see birds flying over head.

So would you breed terriers with poor eyesight then ?

 

Totally different animal, with a different application, and life style, so no, not if it was severe.

 

I know you would like to trap me into being an 'irresponsible breeder' etc.

 

We are not talking blind, or deaf animals, but those with a potentially, slightly reduced sensory ability in certain areas.

 

Would i breed a blind terrier no, would i breed from a top worker, that seemed to have marginally worse eyesight than other dogs, probably.

 

And we have already said that most albinos do not have problems, so as long as they are an albino with no obvious abnormalities, or any kind of symptoms of struggling due to eye/ear problems, whats the problem with breeding from them?

 

I think the working ferret world has far far greater problems than folk breeding albino ferrets.

 

(for the record i have poleys, albinos, sandys, silvers, so i am not particularly pro any color)

[romany52 313]

There is no getting away from the fact that albino animals are genetically less sound than normally coloured animals. My granddad chain smoked untipped fags all his life, lived to be 90 odd, doesn't prove smoking doesn't give you cancer. All I'm saying is that the defects are well documented and I've seen them myself, what you do with that information is up to you but just because you haven't seen something doesn't mean it doesn't exist. By the way ferrets with good eyesight work just as well in the dark as blind ferrets do, I don't get what people have got against ferrets that can see !

 

 

No one here was arguing that these defacts did not exist, that they get albinos with defects, but just that the vast majority are fine.

 

As for ferrets seeing or not, as long as my ferrets appear to have a good quality of life and are 'happy / content' thats enough for me. I'm not sure they get that hung up about not being able to see birds flying over head.

So would you breed terriers with poor eyesight then ?

 

Totally different animal, with a different application, and life style, so no, not if it was severe.

 

I know you would like to trap me into being an 'irresponsible breeder' etc.

 

We are not talking blind, or deaf animals, but those with a potentially, slightly reduced sensory ability in certain areas.

 

Would i breed a blind terrier no, would i breed from a top worker, that seemed to have marginally worse eyesight than other dogs, probably.

 

And we have already said that most albinos do not have problems, so as long as they are an albino with no obvious abnormalities, or any kind of symptoms of struggling due to eye/ear problems, whats the problem with breeding from them?

 

I think the working ferret world has far far greater problems than folk breeding albino ferrets.

 

(for the record i have poleys, albinos, sandys, silvers, so i am not particularly pro any color)

 

Double standards, poor old ferret looses out again ! As for probably breeding from a top working terrier with a known eyesight defect, shame on you !

[Tiercel 6,986]

 

Not trying to promote eu crosses at all, I haven't bred any for 3 yrs as I only breed when I need more for myself. Not trying to further my cause as you put it. I haven't got a cause. I take it from your argument that you have a vested interest in breeding albinos, would that be right ?

 

I have a vested intrest is seeing that the truth be told as it is, not a distortion or emotive exaggeration of the facts.

 

As for the breeding of albinos, I have bred 2 litters of ferrets in the last 25 years. I only bred the last litter because the Jill was such a good worker, that was 3 years ago. I only keep 3 or 4 ferrets at a time as that is all I have the work for. I like the way albinos work so that is all I keep. I have kept polecats, but not for the last 20 years as they do not suit the way I work.

 

TC

[Rake aboot 4,935]

Hmmmm

 

I can actually see Romanys point here,, never kept many albinos,, not through choice,,just the way my line went,, but the ones I have had, were fine, good workers with no obvious health issues,,

BUT,, albinoism is a defect! so I can see the point in saying they should not be encouraged etc!!

 

NOT SAYING DON`T breed them though,, seen loads that have a great life working hard,, and know a few good albino lines,,

 

Sure blindness is no issue in a burrow, but it`s a defect all the same,, but again,, seen hundreds of albinos,,, and VERY few blind ones,, so the health issues cant be that common!

 

Interesting thread this!! keep it civil and it`s a good read

 

ATB