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RE: Reports about Marshalls Ferrets

teeny727 — Fri, 09 Nov 2012 14:55:57 GMT

In my own personal opinion... and it is ok if anyone does not agree with me on this... but when any company, not just marshalls, mass breeds any type of animal for profits, the results most of the time are not good. I have three marshalls ferrets and, knock on wood, they are all healthy and have not had any issues. However, if I would have been able to find a creditable private breeder near me or would have known about ferret rescues, I def. would have went through them. I have not heard of anyone having problems in particular with marshalls but after reading this I am going to have to keep my eyes out.

Also does anyone know of any ferret 'get to togethers' so to speak in Michigan. I think there should be a spot on the website that allows ferret owners to be able to easily find other ferret owners in there area or post any ferret 'get to togethers' that they might know about. There is a petco by house that holds ferret playdays that is free and open to the public and I really love taking the boys to those.

RE: Reports about Marshalls Ferrets

teeny727 — Fri, 09 Nov 2012 14:39:21 GMT

If you got your ferret from a petco store than your ferret is a marshalls ferret. I used to work at a petco and also adopted all three of my ferrets from petco. This is crazy to me that there are reports of marshalls ferrets getting sick.

RE: Reports about Marshalls Ferrets

Veronica101 — Sat, 13 Oct 2012 11:25:47 GMT

Sadly, it's true. Marshalll ferrets are inbred and are far more likely to get insulinoma and other diseases. I would not get another Marshall ferret, they cause so much heartache. No type of ferrets are free of disease, but Marshall ferrets are the most likely to get cancer and other ailments. According to my vet, the average lifespan of a marshall ferret is 3.5 to 4.5 years, while ferrets from private breeders ten to live about 6 to 7.5 years. Of course, there are some Marshall ferrets that live a bit longer, but this is what a vet who has worked with ferrets for 30 years says. Just some stuff to consider.

~Veronica

RE: Reports about Marshalls Ferrets

pantera1985 — Fri, 12 Oct 2012 07:20:40 GMT

Both of my ferrets are Marshall ferrets, but I adopted both of mine and did not purchase them from a pet store. My eldest, who just recently passed away had a severe case of insulinoma that did not show up until it was well advanced. I am very carefully watching my other girl and controlling her diet carefully in the hopes that she will not contract the disease. I plan to adopt a cage mate for her soon, but if personalities match for her, I would rather not have another ferret that comes from Marshall. It really is a travesty how poor the health is in these ferrets. My vet tells me that they all come from a very small stock, are all inbred, and thus all the health problems.

RE: Reports about Marshalls Ferrets

Veronica101 — Fri, 13 Jul 2012 11:40:19 GMT

I am happy to hear this. Marshall's is a problem. Their ferrets are sickly and not bred for quality. However, many ferret owners get Marshall's ferrets because they don't know better. The best thing we can do is spread the information on this ferret farm. The more people know, the less likely they will go to Marshall's. We CAN change this if we try. If someone asks you about ferrets, be sure to tell them the facts about Marshall Farms.

~Veronica

RE: Reports about Marshalls Ferrets

Tayy34 — Fri, 04 May 2012 10:19:03 GMT

The local petstore in my town used to sell Marshall ferrets but last year they stopped because they kept getting sick,now they buy all of their ferrets from a well-known top quality breeder about 2 hours away from here.

RE: Reports about Marshalls Ferrets

fredricfrost1992 — Sat, 14 Apr 2012 07:53:33 GMT

Actually, Marshall DOES NOT and CANNOT breed Rabbits. They would have to sign up and register with the American Rabbit Breeder's Association (which takes a "Show Quality" Breeding Pair just to start.) I also used their contact form on their website to talk with them and they told me that they do not breed Rabbits and nor do they plan to breed Rabbits anytime in the foreseeable future. They do however make products for Rabbits. If you can afford it (which, unfortunately, most people these days can't. Myself included) I would recommend contacting a local hobbyist ferret breeder to get a healthy, happy ferret to spend your time with. Usually a hobbyist breeder has more variety in colors and the ferrets are EXTREMELY well socialized to other ferrets and humans alike. Some downsides, other then the slightly higher price, are that you may have to travel a further distance (sometimes out of state) to obtain your ferret then you would if you went to Petco, for example. Another possible downside is you may have to get your ferret spayed or neutered yourself. In Addition, some ferret breeders may make you sign a contract agreeing not to De-Scent (remove the Scent glands from) your ferret which may lead to a slightly smellier ferret and you may have to clean their cage and bedding (and even the ferret them self) more often. Whatever you do always do your research before buying any animal. Pets have feelings too and need to be taken care of to live a long, healthy life. Never buy a pet on impulse. That ferret may look Cute in the cage at the pet store but they take a big commitment. Are you willing to spend the next 6-10 years with your ferret? Are you going to still take care of your ferret when the initial shock of a new pet wears off? Can you afford a new pet? If your answer to any of these questions is "NO" then you should not buy a ferret. Whatever you do, think carefully and consider these points long and hard before you decide to get a ferret.

RE: Reports about Marshalls Ferrets

Veronica101 — Thu, 29 Mar 2012 15:40:41 GMT

I get your point... But I would never get a marshall's ferret. I am disgusted by their treatment of animals! I think ferrets deserve far better!

~Veronica

RE: Reports about Marshalls Ferrets

JosiesMom — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 01:25:06 GMT

All ferrets regardless of origin will get sick. I currently have 8 but have rescued 15 over the past several years. The majority of them are Marshall's ferrets. Marshalls is the largest commercial breeder of ferrets. I also have a Path Valley and A Triple F ferret. All are early alters and as such will likely all end up with adrenal problems. Because I feed natural raw meaty bones and whole prey my ferrets should be able to avoid insulinoma - only time will tell. But the oldest a Marshalls is 8 the youngest is 2 and is the Triple F. Illness comes more as a result of diet, housing, management and stress not genetics. That being said an improvement in care and diet can only fix so much. It cannot reverse cancers already started or repair years of cage stress. Ferrets deserve much more than what is now considered normal care and a normal life span!

RE: Reports about Marshalls Ferrets

Veronica101 — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 16:01:41 GMT

Yes I don't like marshalls ferrets. they ALL get sick from what I've heard. As for PETA, they are awful. Not a fan. I would only get a ferret from a breeder.

RE: Reports about Marshalls Ferrets

ferret930 — Sat, 10 Sep 2011 02:01:21 GMT

So far, I've had good luck with Marshall's ferrets. I've had a total of 5, with the first one beginning 2/08.

RE: Reports about Marshalls Ferrets

TheRooCrew — Tue, 26 Jul 2011 16:03:35 GMT

Petco gets their ferrets from Marshall's.

RE: Reports about Marshalls Ferrets

Tayy34 — Wed, 06 Jul 2011 19:16:38 GMT

I heard about Marshalls.

RE: Reports about Marshalls Ferrets

danceanimal3 — Mon, 04 Jul 2011 14:46:18 GMT

everyone who owns a marshall ferret should know that they breed ferrets and dogs for money. they have no campassion or concern for the customer. therefore, they breed them for lab use as well. they do not have good quality health, and i wouldnt trust them for the world. their food sucks, and is really low quality. the so called "health guarantee" is a bunch of baloney. because the ferrets are commercially bred in extremely large numbers, they cannot have the top-notch health that professional ferret breeders do. they really arent even remotely concerned whether the ferrets are healthy or not. why would they when they are raking in that much money?? its purely luck if your marshall ferret happens to be in good health and never has a problem. health problems are extremely common in ferrets in general, but with marshalls the chances go up. i've seen pictures of their dogs put into lab experiments, and the dog would have much rather been dead. it was burnt from the neck to the rump, probably 5 degree burns, and it was miserably awaiting its death. i would love to petition against marshall farms, not only because they sell to labs, but for the health and well being of ferrets, bringing the ferrets and their owners justice. sorry to stand on my soap box but this is a very sensitive issue for me.

RE: Reports about Marshalls Ferrets

ferretgirl96 — Thu, 28 Apr 2011 11:04:20 GMT

Ashton was a Marshall ferret. I bought him at Pets and Company in Concord, he got really ill and he died on Easter. The vets had no clue what was wrong with him just by looking at him. If this whole thing about Marshall ferrets getting sick, i really would like to know.

RE: Reports about Marshalls Ferrets

tifs14ferrets — Sat, 18 Dec 2010 22:58:08 GMT

vaangie: if you acquired your ferret from Petco, it's probably a Marshall Farm ferret. Marshall Farms tattoo one ear with 2 dots in all their ferrets. Look and see if you see 2 dots in your ferret's ear.

The other most common commercial ferret farm is Path Valley. They do not mark their ferrets.

Petco should have given you a certificate (rather generic, photocopy) stating from Marshall Farms and that your kit was already spayed or neutered (which is leading cause of adrenal in commercial ferrets is early spay/neuter. Hormones are not permitted to develop.) If from Path Valley, then you still should have received a paper, (maybe pink still) stating their info, what diet they recommend, and their farm info.

In addition to all my kids from reputable private breeders, I also have kids from Marshall and path Valley, and papers came with the ferret. You can ask your Petco as they will deal with one or the other. More than likely it's Marshall since Petco carries Marshall brand items. Usually it's your small, "mom&pop" shops that carry Path Valley kids and that line of kibble.

Definately look and see if there are 2 tiny ear tattoo dots in your ferret. The dots represent one indicating the spay/neuter was done, and their first distemper vaccine. You will need to follow up with your vet to complete the kit series of CDV and rabies. Then at one year. But don't over vaccinate, which leads to another area!! I vaccinate 2 weeks apart as ferrets are prone to reaction and you won't know which vaccine caused the reaction if both together like a cat or dog. Ferrets are far more sensitive. They can and will show side effects also. Reaction can be fatal. Do one vaccine, 2 weeks apart. Then after yearly booster, titers can be done to deem if revaccinating necessary. (due to their fatality risk of reaction)

Hope all that helps.

RE: Reports about Marshalls Ferrets

5FerretsMommy — Tue, 14 Dec 2010 14:57:31 GMT

Hi everyone, I'm new here, but this topic just kind of caught my eye.

I work in a local petstore in my city, and we deal exclusively with Marshall farms. I also happen to live in New York and I drive our stock truck for the business, so I have actually been to Marshall farms and worked one on one with several of their staff members to place wayward ferrets and make sure that each ferret is loved dearly.

I don't know what goes on behind the scenes, but everything I have seen on the farm is very well taken care of.

It says something to me that no one can find proof of this "study" online. If there's anywhere a study is going to be leaked first it's the internet, so honestly I'm not sure where your vet got his or her numbers.

Also, you have also got to consider that Marshall Farms is the biggest ferret producing farm in the U.S., and they even ship outside of the country. They are going to be under the microscope by organizations such as PETA, so it's not shocking that they have been in there trying to shut them down. In my store we treat each and every animal like it's our own, and we have even had PETA called on us. Pretty much every petstore has.

Just try to take all of the "information" you hear about Marshall's with a grain of salt unless you have some sort of proof that you can see with your own eyes. It's natural instinct to want to trust our vets, but also remember that they are people too, and they have their own opinions.

I own five Marshall Ferrets myself, my mom owns two, and two of my best friends own four. Of these ferrets, only one had an issue, and he was a runt to begin with that we wanted to give a loving home.

I hope this offers another perspective to everyone, and I really look forward to meeting everyone on here Happy Reading!

RE: Reports about Marshalls Ferrets

BlancDeHotot — Fri, 03 Dec 2010 10:47:30 GMT

They are. They breed rabbits too, sadly

RE: Reports about Marshalls Ferrets

urofan — Thu, 02 Dec 2010 22:16:18 GMT

Isn't that the same Marshalls that produces food for ferrets?

RE: Reports about Marshalls Ferrets

BlancDeHotot — Thu, 11 Nov 2010 16:58:15 GMT

And yes, all Petco ferrets are from Marshalls.

RE: Reports about Marshalls Ferrets

BlancDeHotot — Thu, 11 Nov 2010 16:53:20 GMT

From Wikipedia:

"Animal rights groups such as PETA have attacked Marshall in the past for breeding animals for scientific and medical research. The firm was the subject of an Animal Liberation Front raid in 2001, in which it was claimed that 10 ferrets and 30 beagles were removed from the complex."

http://www.peta.org/feat/marsh/

RE: Reports about Marshalls Ferrets

Ferretsin216 — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 16:41:21 GMT

i too had problems with marshalls. i purchased a very young ferret and about 2 weeks later noticed a growth in his mouth. he has mouth cancer, wjich i understand things happen, but marshalls wanted nothing to do with it, they asked me for my ferret back and said they would give me a new one. they did not want to honor my garuntee. In the end, they paid up after 8 months of fighting.

RE: Reports about Marshalls Ferrets

Ferretsin216 — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 16:39:30 GMT

the paper work that came with your ferret should tell you, or you can just call the store and ask. most ferrets sold in the us come from marshalls.

RE: Reports about Marshalls Ferrets

eccence — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 08:59:14 GMT

what kind of illnesses are they getting? i just bought a marshall ferret from petco. so far so good though

RE: Reports about Marshalls Ferrets

urofan — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 14:13:39 GMT

In my opinion it's tragic, because there are people who don't have a lot of money to treat sick animals. Unfortunately, this kind of thing has happened before with canned food that hurt and killed cats and dogs.

RE: Reports about Marshalls Ferrets

vaangie — Sun, 27 Dec 2009 09:49:23 GMT

I am a new ferret owner and I was wondering how I can find out where my ferret came from . I got her from a Petco store.

Reports about Marshalls Ferrets

monksmom — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 17:04:55 GMT

Hello Ferret parents out there- My vet just told me about a report that just came out- 73% of Marshalls Ferrets are getting ill. I can't find anythingbut I d from my own personal experience that yes, they do get ill- each of mine has had a problem, some bigger than others, but no matter what the situation, they are a FORTUNE to treat. It's too bad too because I do a bit of rescue and I can't take in as many as I'd like because I don't have the funds to treat them all. Has anyone heard anything about this?? Has PETA stepped in at all? Any news would be appreciated. Thank you, Jodi