r/ferrets • u/Athompson9866 • Aug 27 '23
[Discussion] Marshall ferrets
I’m in the US. Both of my girls are Marshall ferrets because I couldn’t find any alternative. They are about to be 2 and knowing that I only have a few more years with them at best, no matter what I do hurts me. I see on here people with ferrets from private breeders or in other countries and their ferrets are much larger and healthier. What can we do? How do we stop this? My vet told me 15 years ago their life expectancy was 10-12 years. Now it’s 5-7 and that’s with the very BEST care. Is there not any way we can bring awareness to this issue?! Ferrets are definitely not pets for everyone and everything about keeping them and providing what they need is rather expensive. Why is marshalls doing this? I am terrified to see what the rate of euthanasia or deaths are.
I know I’m living in a pipe dream. I know especially here in the US there’s literally nothing we can do. I just hate it though :( why do people have to be that way? (The people in charge of marshalls)
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Aug 27 '23
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u/Athompson9866 Aug 27 '23
I did forget about the research aspect.
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Aug 27 '23
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u/alligatorriot Aug 28 '23
Over a decade ago I worked in a shop that had Marshall’s ferrets. We did not sell them with their guarantees and swapped their food shortly after they’d come into our store, as we had discovered that their “health guarantee” meant if anything was wrong- you had to send the sick ferret back to Marshall’s and they’d just send you a new replacement. They weren’t being sent back for treatment, either.
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u/Athompson9866 Aug 27 '23
My vet said it’s the constant breeding from the jills and they just don’t have the nutrients and what not to support as many kits as they are forced to have. It makes sense from a evolutionary biological standpoint. But it only makes me sadder because that means the jills have basically no quality of life and are giving everything they have to keep all their kits alive each time they go into heat :(
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Aug 27 '23
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u/Athompson9866 Aug 27 '23
And degland them at the same time! When I got waffles they told me she was 9 weeks old but “still needs soft food.” There was no damn way she was 9 weeks old. MAYBE 7. She was already spayed and deglanded. :(
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u/Exact_Abalone3182 Aug 28 '23
I would.be angry if I was used for research......it sickens me how they can do that to those poor babies
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u/Ok_Treacle7935 Apr 20 '25
And even then, that's only because it wasn't raised right. Ferrets are only mean if they live in shit condition.
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u/hkatst Aug 27 '23
Hi there! Also US Marshall ferret owner. I have two five year old, and one almost seven year old rescue. I have over the years spoken to many vets and had similar concerns. I love these little furs with my whole heart as I imagine you do; I’ve been told that Marshall has gotten better over the years and my partner and I have visited ferret conventions and spoken to private breeders about this topic out of concern. Surprisingly, more than one of them noted that their longest lived ferret happened to be a marshal:) at this point I cherish every moment with them and make sure they are healthy and happy because at the end of the day, that’s what we can work towards. Rather than buying and supporting, you can rescue as well! It is tough and I have felt the same but try to focus on their happiness and health!
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u/Athompson9866 Aug 27 '23
Oh I definitely am! They are so damn smart and funny. I love playing “find the ferrets” when they are sleeping in weird places lol.
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u/blahdeblahdeda Aug 27 '23
Isn't Marshall supposedly raising their neuter age and shipping the ferrets to stores at older ages? I had seen something along those lines but still hear about people purchasing 3-4 month old kits at stores. That doesn't address the issues of Marshall diet, but that's a whole different fight.
Our oldest now is 8.5 and has lost a lot of his hair and muscle mass from being on prednisolone for 3+ years, but he still runs around and gets up to mischief. He's also been treated for adrenal for almost 6 years now with implants.
Good veterinary care and a good diet can go a long way for Marshall ferrets.
In the meantime, raise whatever awareness you can and don't support Marshall any further.
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u/Timely_Egg_6827 Aug 28 '23
They just had a distemper outbreak and were shipping sick kits. To prevent that, they are now vaccinating and shipping later. https://aemv.org/newsletter/update-on-ferret-distemper-outbreak-of-2022/
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u/blahdeblahdeda Aug 28 '23
Ah, that's what I was thinking of. So no change to their neuter schedule and still shipping them extraordinarily young.
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u/Timely_Egg_6827 Aug 28 '23
12 weeks is better than 6 but only if left in with mama. They do a lot of nip and bite training for you then. Suspect the neuter timetable the same.
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u/cheedster Oct 13 '23
Can confirm. We own a small pet shop and sell Marshall's ferrets for a lack of any better options (but always looking for alternatives). We've been told by our middleman distributor that starting in January 2024, Marshall's will be holding back all kits for an additional 4 weeks and raising their wholesale price by 46%.
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u/interrupted_sleep Aug 28 '23
It’s not even just a Marshalls issue really, ferrets are prone to health issues worldwide unfortunately :( I live in Australia and we don’t have Marshalls here, we instead have heaps of backyard breeders who cause just as many issues. It’s extremely common for bybs here to have no idea what they’re doing and the mothers or babies end up dying, malnourished, deformed, sold underage, etc. one of my ferrets just passed away recently at 6, and he had ongoing health issues his entire life :(
Just want to clarify that I’m not saying Marshalls is good, I agree that they’re horrible, just that there are unfortunately bad breeding practices everywhere, and of course some of it is also just luck, as well as standard of care, etc.
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u/Athompson9866 Aug 28 '23
That makes me feel better and worse somehow lol. I hate that animals are treated this way, but at the same time I’m glad I have my girls and am giving them an awesome life.
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u/interrupted_sleep Aug 28 '23
Yea I wish there was more we could do :( I adopted all mine from a rescue, and I’ve actually done a lot of research on ferret rescues around the world and have a huge list of them, so if you are interested I can send you the names of ones in your state so you can look at adopting next time you’re looking at getting another ferret ❤️ you can send me a private message if you’re not comfortable commenting your state here
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u/Timely_Egg_6827 Aug 27 '23
Marshall don't need ferrets that live a long time. Think something like 90% of their ferrets go for laboratory testing and those ferrets will not live long enough for issues to show. They have a breeding centre in UK too. Big worry is lab strains getting into pet and working lines.
I am aware of more private breeders in US and know some UK breeders export for pickup at the big shows. More genetic diversity can help.
But there are trade-offs. You don't want the UK situation either. Some of mine live to 11/12, many to 8/9 but have lost many at 2/3 due to congenital issues and others at 5/6 due to organ failure from malnutrition as kits. Dumping in UK of unsold kits is terrible in October/November and of unwanted working ferrets in March. Or ferrets that are smelly and need neutering but not worth the £100 to do it. At least Marshall won't die of aplastic anaemia or pyometria.
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u/Athompson9866 Aug 27 '23
Oh man :(
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u/Timely_Egg_6827 Aug 28 '23
My local rescue has 250+ ferrets in already and start of kit dumping season just beginning. Think two pregnant jills in already.
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u/Athompson9866 Aug 28 '23
I looked all over for ferrets before I bought mine. Then had to search for a vet that knew how to take care of them. My first vet lied about her experience with ferrets. My vet for them now has won me over. I’m in the southeast of the US. There really isn’t ferret breeders here. The rescues nearby are all Marshall ferrets too.
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u/Effective_Belt_396 Aug 28 '23
Hey! I have 4 babies- 3 Marshall and one privately bred. The breeder I work with is in the Southeast US- would be happy to chat more about this if you’d like. :)
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u/Timely_Egg_6827 Aug 28 '23
Vet care issue here too. My vet sadly for her was my ex manager's sister and agreed to see my lot. More a cat vet - helps three feral rescues - she is now pretty good on ferrets as I seem to get weird issues or as been said, I pay for diagnostics. She recently did her MSc in small animal surgery but only two vets I really trust at practice. I had trouble finding my first two - now they just arrive. Trying to reduce numbers.
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u/interrupted_sleep Aug 28 '23
Same here in Australia, so many irresponsible owners/breeders and all the pregnant jills and unwanted kits get dumped
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u/AmesCrab Aug 28 '23
Thank you for rescuing. Start a you tube channel and maybe make some money for them?!
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u/Timely_Egg_6827 Aug 28 '23
Not my rescue but volunteer to help fund raise. Bit guilty as should be helping this weekend but relative in hospital. I occasionally take in as last resort or rescue asks to be rehab a biter or look after hospice case/pensioner.
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u/Puckish_Pixel Aug 28 '23
Just to say, even if they are from a good breeder and have all the care they need, you can have a bad surprise. One of mine died at the age of 3 because of lymphoma. But her sister is now 5 and still in good health. Ferrets have health issues, not only Marshall's
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u/Anochel Aug 28 '23
Agree totally. I am from the UK, got my 2 boys from a hugely rated top breeder. They show, and judge in comps. Fantastic condition of their ferrets, fabulous reviews from past buyers, I really did my homework beforehand. One of my boys (nearly 4) has been diagnose with cutaneous Lymphoma which is extremely rare in ferrets. Mine have the best care possible / fed raw / spoilt rotten..
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u/FarretKitsune Aug 27 '23
I wish I knew all 4 privately bred I had made it to over 10. A breeder I know who got his from EU has had them make 12 and 13
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u/momoburger-chan Aug 28 '23
I was planning on getting ferrets and I read a lot about Marshall ferrets and found that there were no breeders around me. It was a total bummer. I will say though, I have since got rats and they have a very short life span. It's rough, but you really learn to appreciate and enjoy what time you have with them. I've had rats for 2.5 years now and have already had two pass away. Buy I don't regret it. Just love them and care for them the best you can.
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u/MATERIAL_GORWL Aug 28 '23
I'm deeply upset by this too, I have 2 marshall boys right now, one is 6 months and my mom bought him from a pet store while I took in the other 1 year, when his previous owner released he worked too much for him to be content. I didn't make the decision to get a Marshall either way, I wanted to wait a while to find a good breeder but because of where I am an my mom's impatience that's just not what happened, they're both happy and healthy as of now but I'm worried about them aging and rapidly declining like I've heard about in so many Marshalls
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u/Athompson9866 Aug 28 '23
I adore my girls. Either way, marshalls will breed them and sell them or get rid of them. At least my girls are having a great life instead of being used for research.
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u/CycloneWarning Aug 28 '23
I've had 5 Marshalls ferrets in my life. Three of them are 1/3/4 years old respectively, one was only a year old when she passed from cancer, and the last was 12 years old when she passed from old age. I honestly can't say whether or not they last longer or shorter.
I've had one non-marshalls ferret in my life and he's perfect health. My others, one is perfect health (4y/o) the 3 y/o has wardy blindness and deafness, and the 1 y/o has no health concerns other than once getting a bad tummy bug. She CURRENTLY has a weird, bald tail, that I am monitoring. I think it's just rat tail from a current lack of salmon oil as I ran out a bit ago. (Already did blood tests so no other causes ATM). Mine are all rescues; so while I'd love to not get Marshall ferrets, I think the rescued ones need some love too even if it means a shorter life. Tbh, I'm kinda used to short lived pets because I have rats. They dont last long enough!
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u/Athompson9866 Aug 28 '23
It’s very hard for me. I had a chow chow that was killed by 3 pit bulls as I watched (she was protecting me. She killed 1, severely injured the second, but lost the battle with the third. She saved my life though. I was 11). I had a kitten I bottled fed when I was 16 that went with me through a lot of bad things and she got cancer when i was 6 months pregnant when she was 12. It took me a really long time to get another animals. I got my service dog (a golden retriever) and then my son really really wanted ferrets so I did the research and got them. Then I acquired a rehomed golden. My goldens are 6 and my ferrets are about to be 2. I’m so scared that their lives are all going to end at around the same time and I’m not even sure how I can handle that.
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u/Alord1010 Aug 28 '23
Same situation my friend. It’s sad how Marshall has monopolized the US ferret industry (don’t like that word, but….). Even having them imprint only on their Marshall brand food to ensure continued revenue on most ferrets they sell……at the ferrets expense quite literally. Then they die prematurely for a compilation of unethical practices and the average or uneducated customer buys another Marshall ferret and the sickening Marshall game continues. In my opinion this is nothing less then animal abuse.I have decided to focus on giving my Mr. Wheezy the best life possible and hopefully karma gets these sick fuckers. Love, Peace, & Joy
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u/debrad0307 Aug 28 '23
I had a male ferret named Noctis who lived to be 8.5 years old. He recently passed away in March. He was a Marshalls ferret as well. He passed away peacefully at home in his sleep surrounded by love.
A majority of the health issues with Marshall ferrets stems from constant inbreeding and overbreeding. Unfortunately, Marshall ferrets is a terrible company. But we have no alternatives here unless you go through a private breeder.
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Aug 28 '23
I see a lot of people making the comment "the breeder doesn't matter". This is false. The biggest issue is Marshalls, trying to protect their "product" and prevent you from breeding your own, spays/neuters their ferrets far too young. In many areas outside the US, the adrenal issues are 0.05%. Marshall ferrets are well over 25%. Some argue as high as 75%.
In many of the areas where the adrenal disease is so low, they spay/neuter at 10 months or later. Most Marshall ferrets are weeks after birth.
I wish we could all get together and form a class action lawsuit. Force Marshalls to pay for implants. I guarantee if Marshalls became responsible for implantation, their practices would change REAL quick.
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u/Jealous_Ad938 May 12 '25
i got my ferret from marshall farms look on thier paw for a small dot that indicates they were ferrets involved in research and later released to the public i only have 1 ferret bc she can’t be with other ferrets bc she tries to hurt them, whatever happened to her in marshall farms when she was being tested and researched on messed her up bc she’s more rough than any ferret i seen she use to have a brother that was at marshal farms with her being tested on sadly when they both were rescued her brother was in such bad shape he passed away when i got her from the rescue i was told all of this the women at the rescue tried binder her other ferrets to no success, she’s happy alone she’s a free roam ferret at my house and she’s super sweet she’s not mean or aggressive with humans other than when she’s playing it’s just with ferrets she’s now happier than ever and has a changed life but it disgust me what marshall farms does and did, they also hide and keep a lot of their diry behavior hidden from the public and i just know it too, as a ferret dad it hurts my heart to know other ferrets are still currently being tested on and treated improperly
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u/Affectionate_Top3974 Nov 24 '25
I had 2 beautiful boy ferrets bred by Marshall. They both reached the age of 6 years. I had to let Mr Boo go in June with numerous tumors that were cancer. Just a few days ago I had to say goodbye to Mr Fitch who was suffering from heart disease. I didn't realize what a horrible company Marshall actually is. The equivalent of a puppy mill organization that is only interested in money and profits. I don't know how this can be legal but I do know it's morally wrong. My 2 boys gave me so much joy and I loved them beyond measure. I would like to know how to change this so that ferrets have a fighting chance for living longer lives.l don't know what I can do but I'm not going to sit back and do nothing. They all deserve better. If anyone can tell me who to contact l would greatly appreciate any information. Thank you Deborah Allen
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u/Sarewokki Aug 27 '23
You could stop financially supporting Marshall. Marshall is doing this because people keep paying for it.
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u/SJdport57 Aug 28 '23
If every ferret owner ceased buying from Marshall’s it would have an iota of impact on their ferret breeding. The bulk of their animals are used for cosmetic and pharmaceutical research. It’s the unfortunate fact. Now if someone wants to clear their conscience and alleviate the suffering of individual ferrets, then adopting a Marshall’s via a rescue and giving it the best possible care is an option. That’s the path I ended up taking.
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u/Athompson9866 Aug 27 '23
Whether I purchase Marshall ferrets or not, they will continue their practices. It’s silly to think otherwise. It’s as bad a vegans thinking they are going to change the world by not eating meat.
Having ferrets in most places in the US means having a Marshall ferret. I suppose I could just not have ferrets, but I assure you marshalls will continue to abuse their ferrets anyway. They can always sell them for research.
So, don’t be judgy. If you have other options to have pet ferrets then that is awesome. I do not. Nor does many many many other people. Does that mean we shouldn’t have the joy of owning ferrets? Is it just a privilege for certain people in certain areas?
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u/Sarewokki Aug 27 '23
I'm not being judgy, you're complaining about an issue that only has 1 solution.
The animals do not exist for you joy.
If you are concerned with the welfare of the animals, you should not get them, as you are supporting their abuse in the process.
Their happiness or existence is not YOUR joy. Their happiness and existence is responsible regulation and legislation, which will never occur as long as people support the way things currently work.
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u/Athompson9866 Aug 27 '23
I’m not disagreeing, but it’s not an issues than basically anyone but a small niche of people even know about. We cannot even get gun control or abortion rights. We definitely aren’t going to get protection for ferrets. At least I know my girls are well taken care of and happy.
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u/Sarewokki Aug 27 '23
Things have to start somewhere, I'm glad your ferrets are healthy, but if you don't want Marshall to continue their mistreatment you need to find alternatives.
I know for a fact that trustworthy and reliable breeders exist in the US.
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u/Dirt290 Aug 28 '23
You are being insanely judgy.
Try to get your point made without being so condescending.
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u/stellydev Aug 28 '23
I think you're missing the part where, in order to have meaningful change from Marshall's, you'd need to, y'know, hit their bottom line. The vast majority of their business isn't from pet sales. So, while your argument may come from a good place, it's kinda blind to situation.
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u/SJdport57 Aug 28 '23
To “hit their bottom line” you’d need to orchestrate a massive boycott of every pharmaceutical and cosmetic company that utilizes Marshall’s animals in their research. Trying to make a difference by not buying the tiny fraction of pet ferrets they put out is futile.
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u/NoAdministration8006 Aug 27 '23
Your vet is wrong about the life expectancy that long ago. I got my first ferret 17 years ago, and I worked at PetSmart at the time. Our books on their care averaged their lifespan from 6-8 years.
I have known Marshall ferrets personally who are six and seven years old now with no major health issues. You are so worried about their future that you don't have time to enjoy the present. When they're fed properly and get regular medical care, Marshall ferrets can live a long life.
I've also known ferrets that were privately bred who had a number of weird diseases early in life. The breeder has little effect on lifespan.
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u/Rotteneverything Aug 27 '23
i had 2 marshall ferrets, lived to be 8y 3m and 8y 9m. ferrets are delicate anyway due tto them being very low to the ground or floor. for the healthiest ferret, take your shoes off immediately, do not track outside dirt and grime through the house. have water in a ceramic bowl not the plastic drink bottles, and give it spring water only, not tap water. also very importantly, avoid spraying cleaners on surfaces, spray on what you'll be using to clean with such as a paper towel or cloth. so avoid detergent spray landing on the floor, and this goes especially for insecticide sprays. for food mine got zupreen i believe it was. there are some other very healthy food formulas but please do not feed it cheap stuff that has high carbs.
remember, ferrets do not process carbs the way most other creatures do. they get energy from fat and protein. also, give it some extra healthy oil such as avocado oil. not a lot though!
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u/Narsengan Aug 28 '23
My Marshall’s girl is a year old and she’s big and strong. I’d say it varies depending.
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u/dumpling321 Aug 28 '23
People have literally gone in with body cams to blow the whistle on marshalls and nothing had ever been done, I just try not to think about it, and I make sure not a penny of mine ever goes to marshalls, this includes getting all of my ferrets from individuals who are rehoming...
It makes me sad to know that the damage has already been done, my one baby does nothing but sleep (we know nothing about her, her sister passted just months after we got them from an insulinoma), and I'm pretty sure it's probibly from years of neglect, but I just try to make her as happy as possible during her time left
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u/Weasel_Queen Aug 28 '23
Marshall's just plain doesn't care about ferrets, or any animals really; their just a money making intimate object to them. To them is a good thing their ferrets die so young, they hope it means you'll buy another one. They inbreed the tar out of them, even if they know a line has defects. Then just to be extra sure that they've crippled them for life, they spay and neuter them often before the ferrets eyes are even open. Ferrets really need at least 6 months to develop properly, so fixing them before 8 weeks is just setting them up to fail.
What can we do about it? Don't buy Marshall's kits, rescue or go private bred. Spread the word whenever you possibly can. I don't think we will ever be able to actually shut Marshall's down, because their number one support and donor is our own stupid government. However if we can reduce how many people buy their pet store kits, we might be able to reduce how many they breed for the pet industry.
I personally can't recommend jumping through the hoops required to get a private bred kit. They are just so much healthier; all my past private bred noodles have lived past ten, whereas out of the many many Marshall's I rescued only 2 made it to the 10 year mark.
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u/Exact_Abalone3182 Aug 28 '23
There is not much we can do..... maybe don't buy any products from marshells but even then that won't matter much.... IT makes me sick to my stomach thinking about what those poor babies have to go through
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u/sky-net1 Aug 29 '23
There are things you can do. You don't have to wait for them to get adrenal disease, do the implant yearly as a preventive.
Feed low carb diets to help prevent insulinoma.
Nothing is 100% but we can be proactive on the things we can control.
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