THE FERRET FACTOR

PUTTERING IS A GOOD THING...

2010-08-23T21:32:00.007-05:00

George (foreground) and Dave sleep in the sock nest.

I took Dave to the vet today so she could give him a check-up and see how he's doing. He's actually doing quite well -- he wakes up from his naps and putters around and he's eating good. Dr. Dori said his heart and lungs sound pretty good. He does have some sores in his mouth, on his upper gums. So, we are giving him Clavamox for that. We are decreasing the Lasix and weaning him off of that to see how he does.

Dr. Dori showed me Dave's x-rays and, yeah, it looks pretty bleak. She notes two growths (probably tumors) -- one in his heart and one under his trachea. ::sigh::

So...I'm cherishing every day he is with us. Right now, he has a good quality of life. I hope it stays that way. Still, how do I prepare for this, the inevitable? How do I stop the heartbreak of loosing him?

Anyway, I snapped the photo above this evening. The "sock nest" was created when Dave came to us with his cagemate, Cupid. They stole K.'s dirty socks, took them under his desk in his office and slept there. After Cupid died we never picked the socks up, but Dave didn't sleep there much. Lately, though, I've seen him back under there, usually curled up with George or Misty. It's bittersweet.

Cupid and Dave sleep in the sock nest. After Cupid died, Dave stopped sleeping there.

About Dave Bear

2010-08-09T13:53:00.006-05:00

His favorite places to sleep are the sock nest under K.'s desk, the big plastic container in our bedroom or the toy box we converted into a Hidey Hole. Sometimes he'll surprise me, though, and I'll find him in a ferret pile in the hammock under the bed or sleeping in one of the crinkle tunnels.

Even though he's blind, he gets around just fine. A few bumps into the walls at times. Or a bump into the Thing that mommie put in his path that wasn't there before. But he just good-naturedly finds his way around it.

He hits the potty pad more often than his comrades, none of which are blind.

He knows exactly when it is time for his Duck Soup and comes straight to the kitchen and waits for me. My favorite time of day is sitting with Dave in my lap as he gobbles up his soup and then washes his feet.

He loves boxes. K.'s trash can. And WalMart bags. And "crunchies". And N-Bones. He lets the other guys steal his treats and he just comes back for more. He "hides" his treasures in the middle of the living room floor. We just pretend we don't see them.

He lets me give him his medicine, even though it's yukky. He knows I'm taking care of him. Plus he always gets Ferretone after his medicine.

He's gained a lot of weight and waddles. He's losing his beautiful coat. And he is just so beautiful to me. He shows me unconditional love, because I, too, have have gained a lot of weight and waddle. But Dave doesn't care. I'm Mommie and he loves me.

BAILEY MUST'VE STOLEN MY CALENDAR

2010-08-03T19:55:00.005-05:00

Holy Cow, where does the time go?? My last post was in January?? Really??? :::hanging head:::: Aarrrrgghh. Let's update, shall we?

Well. Bailey, my champagne baby who got scalped by Milo, is now a part of the Wildkatz and he and Milo are BFF's. (Go figure) Bailey is the wildest of them all and he loves to find trouble. He loves to sneak in Keith's office, climb up on his desk and knock everything (including the wireless keyboard) off. He also enjoys erasing the greeting message on the business phone and stealing the computer mouse and Keith's glasses. He will attempt to steal the TV remote and it's a game of tug-of-war trying to get it back. He loves, loves to run and quite often we will just see him hauling ass through the house. It's hysterical. He's such a little clown!

Angel, my little girl who had adrenal surgery last November, never regrew her hair (except on her tail). Dr. Dori felt a lump upon examination and suggested a second surgery, which we did. That was just this past June. Turns out Angel was growing a tumor on her right adrenal and bone was forming around it! Weird. Now the little stinker is growing her hair back and she is going to be a beautiful DEW!

Oh, and we went to Shreveport in April for the First Annual Ferret Fun Rodeo. We had a blast! Smokey won 1st Place for Longest Kisser; Bailey won 1st Place in the tube races and 2nd in the bag races; Angel won 1st Place for Smallest Female Ferret; Angel and Smokey took 3rd Place for Opposites: Big and Small.

That pretty much brings us up to date -- at least with the Big Stuff.

But, there is one more Big Thing, and this just happened today. Dave, my blind guy and oldest by estimation, has insulinoma and I've been giving him prednisone for about a year. Lately he's had some hair loss on his back and head, a sign of possible adrenal disease. We felt that he was healthy enough to withstand exploratory surgery to remove the tumors, so it was scheduled for today. Just as they were about to put him under anaesthesia, Dr. Dori noticed Dave kind of choking and she realized he wasn't breathing good. So she did an x-ray and ultrasound and discovered a large mass that is either in his heart or his lungs, which is constricting his breathing.

Needless to say, the surgery was cancelled and she started Dave on Benazapril for his heart and Lasix to help get rid of the excess fluid.

Bottom line: my little Dave doesn't have much longer. And my heart is breaking.

BUDDY T. FERRET

2010-01-29T23:38:00.003-06:00

So I went to the Houston SPCA tonight after I got off from work. I wanted to see this little ferret, Buddy, they've had posted on the website since December. Plus everybody on Facebook is like, "Yeah! Get him! Go for it!". I love my ferret friends....

Anyway, I went, but they couldn't find him. No ferret anywhere. So that means he was probably adopted out and someone didn't update their computer. So, hopefully, he has a forever home and is happy -- that's all I care about.

Weird story, but there was another black & white sable on Craigslist by the name of Buddy someone was trying to rehome. That posting was removed, so I'm assuming he was adopted too.

So...good news for two black & white ferrets named Buddy.

I have created playgroups for my guys...in hopes to diffuse some of the bickering and rumbling that is going on --- and attempting to avoid anymore partial scalpings. So far, it's working well. Ziggy and Milo don't have to get all worried and anxious and go aggresive on me; and the others can relax and play alittle bit without having to outrun Milo!

I'm hoping this will help socialize Smokey, too. He's one of my former foster fuzzies (now adopted by me) and cage-mate to Angel, my adrenal girl. Smokey doesn't care for other ferrets, except for Angel and Baby. And he is very protective of them. He can get a little pissy with other ferrets and tends to run back into his cage when they are out. I'm hoping that, in time, Smokey will become the caregiver to all his playgroup friends and get over his insecurity.

Well, time to wrangle them all up and get to bed!

BAILEY UPDATE UPDATE

2010-01-27T13:57:00.004-06:00

OK, so the swelling and scabbing was just too much. I decided to get Bailey in to the vet first thing this morning and I'm really glad I did. The wounds were abscessing and infected. Dr. D. shaved his little noggin and drained the wounds. Now you can clearly see two teeth punctures from the sabre-toothed ferret that got hold of him. Not pretty, but it looks better than the mess he had before the vet cleaned him up.

He got a shot of penicillin and some oral antibiotic (Clavamox). And she told me to put Preparation H on his wounds. Apparently, it's not just for hemorrhoids anymore...

We got home from the vet and Bailey was war dancing and dooking and crunching his kibble. Now he is blissfully asleep, dreaming, I'm sure, of the day he can kick Milo's ass.

Milo, interestingly enough, has been searching all over for Bailey (I have Bailey separated from the others - in the back part of the house). He's seemed a bit anxious. This morning he came and laid at my feet and then rolled over on his back. Awwwwww!!! So I picked him up and gave him lots of lovies and told him that I still love him very much, no one is mad at him and everything is going to be OK. Then, he just bounced off and went to play with the others, all happy again.

Tell me they don't have minds.....

I'm still thinking about the poor little ferret, Buddy, who is stuck at the SPCA. Man, I dunno. I so want to go get him, but, considering all the 'trauma drama' that just went down this week; not to mention the fact that I had to pay the vet with a post-dated check today....I have no business adopting another one. Hubby would really be pissed and I really need to consider the expense of these guys. It's important to me that they are properly cared for. That they get to the vet when they need it, they get their shots, their heartworm preventative...decent food...all that. AND my attention and time.

It breaks my heart, but I can't save them all. I want to. But I can't. I'm not doing myself any favors by looking at sites like the SPCA and Craigslist. It just adds to my heartbreak. Now, I have this little guy that I've never met, pictured in my head, sitting at the SPCA -- waiting for someone to love him.

GAAAAAHHHHHH!!!! I hate it. It's so freaking unfair.

BAILEY UPDATE

2010-01-26T12:33:00.004-06:00

Bailey spent the night in a medical cage in bed with me last night, so I could keep an eye on him. He did fine. He stayed alert and ate like a little piggy. Poos are normal, no blood from eye, ear or nose, so that's good. He was all about getting out and playing this morning, which I let him do (he is separated from Milo, of course). He loves playing with Misty and Angel, so I have them in the playroom and Milo and Ziggy are in the living room with me.

I stayed home from work today so I can keep an eye on Bailey and be able to get him to the vet if needed. He's got an open wound, which I'm cleaning with hydrogen peroxide and antibiotic ointment. He also has a big goose egg, which is the greater of my worries. Hopefully, he would have demonstrated having a more severe internal head injury by now, but I'll feel better after the 24-hour mark.

I really didn't see that the rumbles between Milo and Bailey were that bad. I'm praying it was an accident due too overzealousness on Milo's part. But I just don't know. Milo is going to be separated from Bailey for a while. After Bailey's head heals, I'll try reintroducing them under a CONTROLLED environment.

Woe is me.

BAILEY IS INJURED

2010-01-25T20:20:00.004-06:00

Shit, crap. I wasn't watching close enough. Milo got ahold of Bailey and, I guess, bit him on top of the head, next to his right ear. He has two blood blisters and it looks awful. I found him hiding behind Keith's bookcase and he cried when I dragged him out. I cleaned it up, checked him over, fed him some duck soup and put him in his cage. He ate some kibble and is now sleeping. I'm jsut watching him now and praying we aren't gonna have an emergency vet visit.

It's my fault. Should've been paying closer attention. I feel awful.

:((((((

A FERRET NAMED BUDDY

2010-01-24T20:47:00.004-06:00

One thing I do is watch craigslist and the SPCA listings to just keep myself informed on the state of homeless ferrets and ferrets needing to be rehomed. OK, I hate it, but I won't get on my soapbox. I did that with my very first post. Check the archives (January 2009) if you are curious as to what I said about the evil craigslist....

Anyway, I'm looking at the Houston SPCA listings and they have one little ferret named Buddy. They don't have a photo of him and they don't state his age. He's been there since 12/8/09. All by himself. I haven't laid eyes on this little guy, but my heart is just breaking for him. The SPCA doesn't have facilities or personnel to let Buddy out of his cage for playtime. So he's been in his cage since December. And God knows what the situation was that brought him there in the first place.

Every day I look to see if Buddy's listing is still there, or if he's found a home. Every day his listing pops up. I just can't stand the thought of this little one all alone, caged....cared for I'm sure..but missing out on love and enrichment. It brings me to tears.

So I decided that if, by Friday, Buddy hasn't found a home, I'm going down there. I want to see him. Bring him home? Strongly possible. Huge risk because K. will be pissed. It's a chance I'm willing to take for the sake of this little one.

IN OTHER NEWS: Bailey went to the rescue today to visit and get his mouth swabbed for his ADV test. Poor little guy was kind of scared -- all the new smells and ferrets and people chatting. But he finally warmed up and came home all worn out. AND>>>We adopted out three ferrets today!!! That was just awesome! I am very happy!

Angel's little bruise (or whatever it is) looks a little better today. I thought it might be a mast cell tumor, but I'm really thinking it's a bruise. Still watching close. She may need a CBC to check her platelet count. She's had some bruising on her tummy a couple of weeks ago. They come and go fast, but I think it's a concern I need to take to the vet. We go Feb. 8.

That's my news for the day. It sure is quiet right now. I guess everyone's asleep. Not a bad idea...

LONG TIME, NO BLOG!

2010-01-24T02:41:00.003-06:00

EEK! Has it really been since November that I've written?? Well, boys and girls, I have some catching up to do. First, let me say that it is 2:45 AM and what better time to catch up on a blog....

Anyway, the last time I wrote I'd rescued a little ferret named Darby. Happily she has been adopted and hardly spent any time at the rescue before she found her forever home. I'm still very involved in rescue -- admittedly I had some bumpy times with it and had questions about whether or not I wanted to continue. But my passion and love are with the ferrets. I can't abandon them or the human friends I have made. I just need to get back up when I stumble, that's all.

I think Angel had already had her adrenal surgery last time I wrote, too. Well, she's doing great in terms of energy, appetite and mood. She's still naked, even after a Lupron shot. And melatonin. Her vulva is slowly shrinking back down, which is good. Dr. Dori wants to see her again in February and I guess we'll see what she says. Maybe more Lupron? Maybe little Angel is just gonna be naked, which is OK, as long as she's healthy otherwise. She's really adorable, the little rat!

Tonight I noticed some bruising on her torso. After a couple of phone calls and a on-line chat with a friend, I went back and investigated closer. Turns out a large mast cell tumor had popped up and the other "bruising" was simply dried blood from her scratching at the spot. I felt silly for thinking she had bruises or hematomas all over her, but relieved that that wasn't it! Anyway, I but a dollop of hydrocortisone cream on it and will watch it closely.

I have another addition to my ferret business! His name is Bailey and he is a cinnamon kit, about 3 1/2 months old! He is just beautiful and a total wildcat! Here he is:

That brings me up to ten, yes ten ferrets. Every one of them is unique, each a blessing to me. I think K. will have my head on a platter if I take in any more. I probably should quit making promises that "this-is-the-last-one-I-swear".

Having fibromyalgia and CFS presents a challenge to me sometimes and these little guys have brought me so much love, joy and healing. I can't honestly say that Bailey is the "last one". I'll explain that next time....

OUCH! THAT REALLY HURT....

2009-11-16T21:50:00.005-06:00

Some people who live in a neighborhood across from us found a little ferret. She just appeared in their garage. They've tried to find the owners, but had no luck, so she is coming into rescue. I have her right now (in strict isolation) and will take her to Dana on Saturday. She is a beautiful little thing - a silver mitt that looks a lot like Baby. From what I can tell, she is about a year old. God, the owners must be frantic. Brings back memories of when I lost Rocky over the summer. Devestating, for sure.

The family that found her named her Darby, which I think is adorable and fits her. She's a little shy right now. No pic of her (I'm trying to stay unattached...mmrrrr) But here is a cute little pic I snapped of Angel and Baby hanging out in the hammock last night:

Speaking of Baby, that little rat bit me tonight. Totally hurt my feelings. My fault. Princess Misty was in Baby's cage, annoying her. I reached my hand in the cage to pet her and she didn't know it was me and swung around and bit me. Hurt like hell. :( I know she didn't mean it - she is a very sweet and lovable little girl. It was totally my fault for suprising her when she was already being defensive.

This is now the second time I have put my hand in the middle of a ferret confrontation and got the shit-end of the stick. The third time may just have me lose a finger....GAH!!!

HAPPY FERRETS

2009-11-15T13:02:00.006-06:00

I think little Angel was happy to be back in the cage with her buddies, Smokey and Baby. She was all curled up in a sack with Smokey this morning. She is looking great, too. She's putting some weight back on and is very energetic. I am sooo happy to see it!

Misty has managed to leave her foot alone, so no more bleeding episodes, thank God!! I just found some more bloody ferret footprints in one of the cages, though (from the other night when it happened). I'm thinking she scraped it and didn't actually bite it. Really, she's being very good about letting me put ointment on it and leaving it alone.

I'm sewing a bunch of bedding from remnants of fabric I had (plus some new I just bought, ugh, can't resist cool fabric...) and am sending a box of hammies and sacks to a ferret rescue up in Baltimore that just rescued 40 ferrets. Need to get it done, so I can do something with this house for the holidays. I have crap strewn all over the place!!

There's today's update! All the other Friskies are just doing great, continuing to bring laughter, love and a whole lot of silliness to my life!!

STOPPING THE BLEEDING

2009-11-14T13:51:00.005-06:00

Gee Whiz, has it really been two months since I've written here? OMG, don't know where the time goes...

Well, let's see, that last time I wrote, Misty had just been adopted and graduated to the Big Cage with the boys. Things are going well between them ~ even Misty and Ziggy are getting along for the most part. Misty still likes to show everyone that she is the boss by pooping wherever she pleases; like, say, the middle of the living room floor...But we are working on it. The thing about picking a ferret up when they are in the middle of "doing their business", is that they don't STOP doing their business and you wind up with a trail of business all the way from the original poop spot to the potty pad...not fun.

And while I am talking about Misty -- she had a growth on her back foot. I think it is called a sebaceous adenoma, which is a benign growth that can get pretty nasty. I had it removed last Wednesday and everything was fine. Then on Thursday night she came to me wih blood all over her. I'm not kidding, she was covered. Needless to say, I freaked. I grabbed her up and saw that she'd somehow knocked the scab off the surgical wound and it was bleeding like a sieve. I'm by myself (hubby is still out of town) and I'm trying to calm her and myself down, put pressure on the wound, call Dana (because I'm panicking). Now there is blood all over Misty, me, the sink, the floor. I'm thinking she is seriously going to bleed to death. Dana encouraged me to keep putting pressure on it and then when it slows down, using cornstarch. I did that and it finally stopped.

My goodness. Never a dull moment.

I have also adopted the three foster fuzzies I had: Smokey, Baby and Angel. I adopted them and immediately got Angel in to get her adrenal surgery. That was about ten days ago and she is doing fabulously. She is busy as ever, prancing around like the little princess she is. Her prognosis is fair to favorable and I feel very confident about her recovery. I can't wait to see what she looks like with hair on her tail and back! :D

So currently, I have nine ferrets and no fosters. But I'm still very involved in the rescue. I struggled for a little while - things happened that caused some uncertainty on whether or not I would stay. But, it's my destiny to help these little guys out. Happily, it wll turned out for the good of all concerned.

OK, I will be better at keeping up with this blog. I love writing about my furr kids - they are always teaching me new things!

LIVIN' IN THE BIG CAGE

2009-09-11T11:37:00.002-05:00

In the spirit of keeping this little blog alive, I vow to write even though there's not much to write about! All the fuzzbutts are doing well, dancing and be-bopping their way through my heart on a daily basis. We still miss our Cupid McPoo and Snow Bisquit - not a day goes by that they don't enter my thoughts.

Misty has stepped in and made herself right at home and is now a full-fledged Frisky. She even shares the Big Cage with the boys and does a darn good job at keeping them in line. She's a typical little sister, with a "You aren't the boss of me" attitude that just keeps me in stitches. She's just awful about hitting anything that remotely looks like a litter box or potty pad, which has proved to be quite exasperating. Her biting habit has improved tremendously, although she still enjoys a little nip now and then!

Dave, my blind guy who has just been diagnosed with insulinoma, seems to be doing quite well on the prednisone. He is nothing but sweetness in fur who loves to nap in his varioius napping spots and then wake up and amble around the house. If you hear a small "thud", no worries. That's just Dave bumping into something. LOL! I just love him to pieces!

We went on a playdate a couple of weeks ago and Ziggy did great. No worries about him being aggressive. Not a problem. He's just a spoiled rotten little boy who dares to assert himself with certain other ferrets. Gotta love him! (And I do)

Hubby is doing an extended job out-of-town, which is robbing everyone of their run time in the mornings. I try to let them out while I get ready for work (can we say, "distraction"?), but it's only for about an hour and then they go back in their cage. Which everyone,. including me, hates, but I'm still not comfy with the free-roam idea. Maybe it's something I really need to think about though....

O MY ZIGGY...

2009-08-31T22:26:00.003-05:00

Ziggy's mission for the night: create chaos wherever he goes.....

Mission 1: Knock over Nathan's glass of tea and see what happens. Oh, wow! Look at that! The liquid stuff goes everywhere. Nathan appears to be angry as he frantically tries to dry off his calculator and textbook. Mom is trying hard not to laugh. Mission accomplished!!!

Mission 2: Try to open the closet door by scatching on it as fast as my little paws can scratch. Return to door and proceed each time Mom removes me from said door. Door will not open. Fail.

Mission 3: Knock all the books off Mom's book shelf and spread them all over the floor. Watch Mom throw up her hands and give up. Mission accomplished!

Two out of three missions: Not too bad. Someday, the closet door will be mine......

TERRIBLE TWOS

2009-08-30T23:20:00.002-05:00

I took Rocky, Ziggy and Milo to a ferret playdate last night and they had a blast. Well, all except the car ride. I swear, if someone asks me was having ferrets is like, my short answer would be, "It's like having two-year-olds."

I had their travel cage all ready, complete with hammock, just in case someone (Ziggy) needed to go in time-out while we were at the playdate. I got the cage in the car and was about to buckle up when I saw poo all over the hammock. "Alright! Who poo'd in the hammock? Rocky, NO! Get out of the poo!!" So I have to pull the hammock out of the cage and take it back in the house.

I had a light throw over part of the cage for the drive there, because, somewhere I heard it helps the stay calmer....NOT!! Rocky and Ziggy cage-raged all the way there. At one point I look over and see Rocky has a nail caught in the throw, which he had pulled partly through the bars of the cage. So he's just laying there being pitiful.

Had to pull over and unstick his nail from the cloth. Cloth gets thrown in the backseat. Try to shut the cage door back, but trying to get all three ferrets to stay out of the door and not escape was like playing Whack-a-Mole.

Back on the road. Traffic is diverted becasue of an accident. Pull over again, call my friend for additional directions. Cage rage continues. Rocky is panting. "Rocky, here, water! Drink!" Forget that. Pulled water bottle off cage, douse ferrets with water.

Back on the road. Finally we make it to our destination, where we had a great time. By the way, Ziggy was a perfect gentleman, which shows me he is not aggressive...just a bit ornery at times.

Yep, Rocky cage-raged all the way home, too. When we got home, everyone slept like a baby.

TOUCHED BY AN ANGEL

2009-08-28T12:03:00.004-05:00

So, I'm a believer in the mystical. I believe there is some greater power out there, whatever one chooses to call it. I believe in spirits and angels. And I believe that, if I open my ears and eyes, the Universe touches me every day. Maybe it's something I hear in a conversation. Maybe it's a penny I find when I'm feeling broke.

Yesterday, God touched me by leaving me the gift of a feather.

It wasn't any old feather. It was a white one with a thin edge of black and it seemed to be stratigically placed in my path that led next to the garden where Cupid and Snow are buried. Now. Both of my little ferrets that I recently lost were white. Cupid was a dark-eyed white with just a touch of silver. Snow was a true albino ferret.

So, for me, finding this pretty little feather, so perfect and so perfectly placed, was like finding a letter from my two fuzzies from across the Rainbow Bridge. "Dear Mom, we are fine. We love you. Look! We have wings now!"

I placed the feather in a spot where I keep Cupid and Snow's photos. And I believe.

MISTY'S FIRST NIGHT AS A FRISKIE

2009-08-25T15:57:00.003-05:00

Misty wan't sure what to think about the new cage in a new room. She hates being caged anyway - so spoiled. She'll dig her food and tear up her litter trying to get my attention. Admittedly, sometimes it works and I'll let her back out for a few minutes after everyone else is put down. A few extra minutes with mom all to herself and a lick of ferratone usually calms her enough that she will then sleep.

Her and Ziggy are still working it out, but it's nothing like the issue I had with Snow and Ziggy, so it will be fine. I happen to love how she gets right up to Ziggy's face and chatters at him and how he just kind of backs off and saunters away. Too funny!

We have a play date scheduled for this coming Saturday with some ferret friends, so I'm looking forward to that. Will probably take Rocky, Milo and George -- they are my easy-going guys.

That's all the news today. More to come!

IT'S A GIRL!

2009-08-24T21:30:00.003-05:00

Whoo hoo!! Little Misty is officially a member of the Friskies! Up until now, it's been a "boys only" club, but she has been welcomed in. Tonight she spends her first night in her new cage, next to the boys!

When I told her we would be her forever home, she gave me a kiss! So sweet!

ONE CAN WONDER

2009-08-22T14:36:00.003-05:00

All is quiet on the ferret front. My foster girl, Misty, seems to have stepped in and made herself right at home. She has become George's friend and my special little buddy. She seems to have adopted us, if that makes any sense. I never expected it...it just has happened that way. She's so happy romping with the boys (she's a tomboy ferret), and hates having to stay in the foster room.

It seems natural that we become her forever home, but I don't know what Dana will say. I called and left a message telling her I want to talk to her about Misty. We shall see what she says.

Dave is loving the fact that he is getting Duck Soup two times a day now, with his prednisone. He thinks he's died and gone to heaven! George manages to sneak in a few licks from Dave's bowl, too.

Well, that's all going on at the moment. Until next time....
Dooks and Dances!

BETTER SAFE THAN SORRY

2009-08-20T19:34:00.004-05:00

Two of my foster fuzzies:

(L) Baby (aka,'Koosh") , (R) Smokey

Last Monday a distemper shot for Rocky (which always makes me sooo nervous, but he did just fine). Yesterday glucose checks on Dave (my blind guy) and Baby (one of my fosters, who I call 'Koosh'). Baby's glucose was fine -- Dave, notsomuch. Dave's glucose level was 53, which points to insulinoma. So we broke out the Prednisone.

I'm glad I had them checked. Dave shows no real symptoms...I just did it as part of a check-up because he turned 5 years a couple of months ago. When it read borderline, we waited and repeated it. Hopefully, we are catching it early.

I had Koosh checked because she seems so non-energetic to me. Is happy just sleeeeeeping away. So I was worried. Now those worries are put to rest! (Better safe than sorry) Baby is just a little mellowed out girl...and I'm not so used to mellow! LOL!

Smokey (another foster, aka, 'Stretch' and 'Tex') has this annoying little mast cell tumor on his head he will not quit scratching. So I had Dr. Dori look at it. She said to just keep putting Benadryl cream on it. Dana said I can give him Children's Liquid Benadryl, too, which I need to do, I guess. Poor little guy...

CALENDARS ARE READY!!

2009-08-16T16:12:00.005-05:00

WHOO HOO! The calendars that I have been sweating furr balls over are complete and ready to sell. These are custom calendars that I have created for 2010. Each month features a photo collage of our rescue fuzzies and the humans that take care of them. The proceeds go to help fund our rescue, Forever Homes Wanted Ferret Rescue. They are a bargain at $ 18. If interested in purchasing one, please leave your info in the comment OR email me at:

susanmbaker@sbcglobal.net

Please support your local rescue! Thanks!!!

STOLEN: ANOTHER PIECE OF MY HEART

2009-08-15T12:29:00.002-05:00

Misty, one of my fosters, has made herself right at home and is hanging out with the Friskies. Notably, Ziggy (the business' Chief Bodyguard) is beginning to accept her in without too much puff tail and hiss. Besides, I think Zigs has met his match with Misty. She gets right back in his face, no problem.

Yesterday evening there was quite a chase-and-pounce scene, with Misty running with a Walmart sack and Rocky and Milo chasing after her. Made me laugh out loud. Later, I found Misty curled up in the Sock Nest with George.

It's almost as if she knows we lost Snow and is stepping in to comfort us. What a beauty. Sometimes a sideways glance will fool me and I will call her "Snow"...

She still has her moments where she will bite, but it isn't as hard and I honestly think it's out of orneriness and play.

A couple of evenings ago I learned why you don't put your hand in during a squabble between two ferts. I got the bageezus bit out of my hand. No one meant to do it - it was my bad for being so careless. I got lots of kisses afterwards and learned a lesson.

OH, MY ZIGGY...

2009-08-13T15:58:00.003-05:00

Of all the ferrets that seems to miss Snow the most, it's Ziggy. It's seems ironic because they didn't get along so great all the time. But the day Snow died, we laid him on his little bed and let the other fuzzies sniff him and say goodbye. Ziggy visited Snow several times. He nuzzled him and spent a lot of time hanging around him.

Oh, my Ziggy. You never cease to amaze me. What goes on in that little head of yours?

p.s. thanks to my friends for the warm comments and love....

GONE

2009-08-09T12:17:00.004-05:00

Snow went to the Rainbow Bridge this morning at 9:00 am. I was packing things up to drive him to Gulf Coast when he died in my husband's arms. This has hit us way too fast. He was doing fine and the heart meds he was on seemed to be working very well. Just yesterday morning, he was bouncing around with everyone else, begging for treats. He gave no indication of feeling bad.

Then around 4:30 my husband called me and said that Snow was throwing up and had diarrhea. It was full of blood and thick mucous. No vet was available for ferrets on Saturday night, except for Gulf Coast Veterinary Specialists some 30 miles away in the Galleria. We decided to sit up with him through the night and keep him hydrated and try to get him somewhere this morning. But when I called, they still had no ferret vet on duty.

We decided to try to get him to Gulf Coast, but he didn't make it. He was only 3 1/2 years old.

My poor little Snow. I'm so, so sad....

SNOW IS VERY SICK

2009-08-09T02:23:00.004-05:00

Oh, geeze. It's 2:30 am and I'm up because I'm watching Snow. He suddenly got very ill earlier this evening and started having bloody diarrhea. He threw up blood, too. Now, he's resting. I've been giving him Pedialyte and Tylan.

Am going to call an emergency vet at 9, when they open. I just hope there's a ferret vet on duty. I'm so worried and scared.

BOYS vs. GIRLS

2009-08-08T14:01:00.005-05:00

Sunny asked me if I notice a difference between the personalities of my boy ferrets and girls ferrets. Definitely! The boys are either "down to business" or just plain silly. They tend to prank one another by stealing and hiding each other's toys or pouncing a sleeping victim, waking him up and then running away. They like to romp and rough-house...their play is all boy.

The girls (for the most part) are more mellow and chill. They are quite assertive and tend to get their way. They play more gently and their games are not the rough and tumble fare that the boys like.

Of course, the similarities tend to outweigh the differences. Some love to be held and doted over. Others are always squirming the get down and look for an adventure. Some enjoy sleeping the day away in a favorite snuggle spot. Others take short naps and come out to investigate regularly. I have a girl who digs her food something awful and a boy who (loves it) digs his water. A couple of my boys are organized and neat-niks (a place for every toy and every toy in it's place, thankyouverymuch) and I have some really messy girls.

So, now that I think about it, perhaps it really isn't a difference in gender, but just a personality thing. I love that everyone of my fuzzkids is different.

In health news:

Snow is doing so well -- the medicine for his heart seems to be working great. He bounces and weasle dances all over the place and has a good appetite. This makes me so happy. He and Ziggy are learning to tolerate one another...the squirmishes between them occur less frequently, thank goodness.

I took Baby (foster girl) in to see Dr. Dori last week because she seemed a bit depressed, had some diarrhea and wasn't eating good. She was given Tylan for a GI infection and it was also discovered that she had an abcess around one of her grooming teeth. She ended up having two teeth and the abcess removed and she is doing much better. Poor Baby Girl.

Smokey is struggling with a mast cell tumor on his head. I get it almost cleared up and he goes and scratches it and makes it bleed. Ugh. He has also been threatened with a vet visit if he doesn't leave it alone! Either that, or an Elizabethian collar! (I may have to make one out of a plastic cup! LOL!) He's also shedding something terrific. Not sure what that is about, unless his little body rhythm is off. Hmm. Note to self: A check up may be in order for Smokey Bear....

My little adrenal foster, Angel (I call her Thumballenia), is just doing great. She is so mellow and gets along with everyone. Besides her fish (that is her fish, now. If she is ever adopted, the fish has to go with her), she will dig down into the shredded paper box and nap. One almost can't find her in there!

Everyone else is doing great. No more slick escapes or major dramas (this is a good thing). Now mommy jsut needs to get some sleep...but that's a whole different blog.

DESIRES VS. PRIORITES

2009-08-01T12:30:00.005-05:00

OK. Sometimes I just get lost in my desires and lose sight of priorities. Like I desire to make sure little homeless ferrets get a forever home (a loving one) --- so I tend to have a soft spot in my heart for those who are less "adoptable" for whatever reason. I love the cute baby ferrets with all the bounce and spunk. So does everyone else, so adopting those guys out will never be a problem.

But something about those challenging ones: like Misty, who were are trying to teach not to bite, but just does. Getting a kiss from her is golden! Or, little Angel, who is so tiny and has lost the hair on her tail due to adrenal. She has no idea she is little and can outplay the best of em. And she loves, loves the fish. It's just her size. Can't find Angel? Look in the fish. Too sweet.

So, the thing I want to do is be on the list of potential adopters for Misty. And I want little Angel to get her surgery, and my desire is to help with that. Money is tight, so I have to prioritize. Right now, Misty is with me...they all are. Remind myself to be in the moment. Priority is to get some funds going for Angel. The rescue needs $350 for her surgery.

So, I decided to get my creative energies going. We've made this awesome calendar, which will be going to print very soon and we will sell to benefit Forever Home Wanted Ferret Rescue. Also, I have created these great photo greeting cards (blank inside) which I'm going to sell on ETSY and Facebook. Perhaps my own website eventually. Proceeds will go to funding my foster fuzzies and help provide the healthcare and supplies they need until they find their forever homes.

So two great projects that I am very excited about. As soon as I can get pics up of the calendar and the cards, I will. I've been working diligently on these. Seen too much of the world at 2 AM in the glow of a computer screen. But oh so worth it!!!

PLAY MISTY FOR ME

2009-07-25T12:28:00.002-05:00

I've been letting my foster,Misty, play with my boys the past couple of days and she seems to be getting along really well. She likes to rough-house (guess she's a tom-ferret) which Milo loves! We've really taken to her -- despite her biting thing -- she is so charming and funny. She also shows a sweetness that is so endearing. Not being a ferret psychologist, I can't say why she nips. Sometimes I really think she is just trying to play. I dunno.

I agreed to not ask to adopt any of my fosters and I want to honor that. Misty is a special case though. Would Dana consider letting us give Misty her Forever Home? I'm not sure.

THE THREE

2009-07-22T22:14:00.005-05:00

Angel
Smokey

Baby

These are my newest foster fuzzies! They are a bonded triplet and so sweet. Angel is a teeny tiny little girl with adrenal and we are waiting for surgery. Smokey is a beautiful and unusual looking male who love to give kisses in your ear. And he steals the cardboard paper towel tubes! Baby is a big, beautiful girl who is so loving and mellow.

They are all still a bit shy right now, but are starting to get used to their new home. Misty is a bit confused about what happened to Oreo and Vestia, but she's getting extra lovies and she is going to do fine with her new friends.

I want to try to save some money to help get Angel her surgery. Money is a bit tight right now, but I'd like to do what I can. She's the tiniest ferret I've ever handled. And she has a very large personality! She has no idea how little she is! It's interesting that she has a different smell than the other ferrets. I guess it's the adrenal? (Oh, yeah, this is my first adrenal ferret, too.)

As for my guys, everyone is great. Milo has learned to dook, which is so adorable. He has a cute little voice. Snow is doing well on his heart meds and you would never know he was even sick. Rocky is staying in the house, LOL! Ziggy and Snow are getting along, which is making me very happy.

Yes, life is good here at the Frisky Fun House!

THERE AND BACK AGAIN

2009-07-20T21:04:00.006-05:00

We adopted out two of my fosters, Vestia and Oreo, this past Saturday. They both went together to the same home, so that was really cool. And I brought home three more! These are a bonded triplicate: Smokey, Baby and Angel. They are all very sweet and mellow. (pics soon!)I think little Misty might be confused about where her girlfriends went, but I think she remembers the new three from the rescue. So it's good.

I ended up making two cages into one big one for the Three (I have this thing about spoiling them). And I moved Misty up to a top level from a bottom one, because she loves to dig her food and the top is easier to clean!

Today was long...Snow got his distemper shot (scarey) and them I took George, Rocky and Milo to a library program for kids with HAFA. Snow did fine with his shot and the library program was really fun. Cute kids and cute fuzzy animals just go together!

Kudos to my friends Jimi and Gail (left photo). They work so hard at these library programs. They pour their hearts into them! Very cool!

ADOPTION DAY!

2009-07-18T12:29:00.004-05:00

It looks like we may be adopting out one of my foster fuzzies today. Of course, I have mixed emotions, right? Sad, because I love them so much and happy to see them get that forever home they deserve. It's a challenge being a foster mom to these babies.

It's a hard thing to let them go...but it's the right thing. I do get attached. And it is so cool how each individual ferret has it's own unique personality. I quickly learn what they like, what they don't like. Each of them has a unique noise they make, so I know who's talking even if I'm not in the same room.

Anyway, we will see who is chosen today. And perhaps there is another little ferret Dana would like me to foster. There's the silver lining!

CAN WE SAY "NERVOUS BREAKDOWN"?

2009-07-15T15:47:00.005-05:00

Oh the drama. Rocky went missing last Sunday night. I went to put everyone to bed around 11:30 and couldn't find him anywhere. Ended up waking up hubby and we both began to tear the house apart searching for him. He was nowhere in the house. We thought back and realized I'd seen him last around 8:30 when he was helping me do the dishes and we played a bit in his pirate ship. I expected after that, he went to snooze in the Hidey Hole or his hammock under our bed.

Hubby remembers coming in about that time and opening the door that leads to our garage. Our garage door was also open. Could he have slipped out then?

We were out looking for him at 2 AM and I was hanging up "Lost Ferret" signs and posting on craigslist at 3 AM. I was in shock, felt like I was going to pass out, throw up - the whole bit. Harsh words between hubby and I added to the already nightmarish situation (we were both really scared).

I didn't really sleep; laid there, dreaming half-awake. Later on, Monday morning, I thought I'd just dreamed I'd lost him. But then the cruel realization hit me that it was indeed so. No Rocky came trotting in the kitchen to beg for treats. No Rocky running in-between my feet trying to trip me. No Rocky.

I was in total shut-down, sobbing hysterically all day Monday. I had a false alarm when someone posted on craigslist that they'd rescued a ferret the same night I lost Rocky. I contacted her, and it wasn't anywhere near where I live -- it wasn't my baby.

I was freaking out because of the heat and the dogs and the fact that little ferrets can't survive long on their own in this big world. I wondered if he missed me as much as I missed him. I put out a carrier, food, water and Ferratone for him. I even put ferret poo in the garden, praying he'd catch the scent and come back.

In the evening on Monday, my husband, son and I went out looking again. I was headed toward some bushes at a house when I looked up and noticed a car that pulled up to one of my signs. The lady was dialing her cell phone. I ran up to her car. "Did you find a ferret?," I asked. "Yes, I did", she said and she pointed to Rocky's picture and said, "That's him!"

Needless to say I about peed myself and jumped in her car (no pee in her car) and she took me to her house, which was about five houses down and across the street. There was Rocky, hiding under her shed. She noticed him peeking out at her while she was mowing.

He was a bit dirty, tired, hungry and thirsty and scared. Otherwise, unharmed. I am soooo grateful. I really didn't think we'd ever find him. It's so hot, no one is outside. He would have been so easy to miss.

I had prayers and postive, loving wishes from people all over the world. It is all of that outpouring of love that helped bring Rocky home to me. I believe that with all my heart. I am just overwhelmed with the power behind all of the energy that went out to us. Thank you, a million times over.

As for the lady who found my guy, her name is Rachael and was very sweet and (hopefully) didn't think I was too much of a lunatic. She got a reward of my undying gratitude and $ 100. And now Rocky owes me $ 100. LOL!

It is so good to have my Mamoo back home again!

IT'S A FERRET'S LIFE

2009-07-11T15:02:00.004-05:00

All is quiet on the (south) western front. My days are packed with ferret play, ferret cleaning, ferret feeding, ferret squabbles, ferrets-being-adorable, ferret medicating, ferret calendar-making, ferret bedding sewing and washing........It's definitely become my life! And I'm having a great time!

I've made some very cool friends and I am learning so much. And I love being involved. A week from Monday, we are going to a local library to do a presentation about ferrets and I'm really looking forward to it. Usually I can't attend these library functions because they are during the day on the weekdays, so I am working. Luckily, Monday is my day off, so I can finally go!

Snow is becoming more and more social and his little personality is starting to peek through. Last night he decided he would stay under the bed and not come out for his Duck Soup and meds. Just like a two-year-old! I had to bribe him with the bowl of soup to get him out from under there.

He and Ziggy, unfortunately, are probably never going to be friends. It's a shame, but what do you do? I've come to accept the fact that, yes, there will be an occasional squabble between these two and I just do my best to diffuse the situation (meaning, Ziggy usually goes in ten-minute time outs). The time-outs are effective, by the way. Ziggy is smart enough to understand that he needs to behave and he does! So in that way, I'm proud of him. I'm trying to give him a few extra lovies, just to let him know he doesn't need to worry about anything. And, yes, Snow gets those extra lovies, too!

All the other furrkids are great. Milo, my little pet store rescue, who was way underweight and had coccidia when I brought him home is now a whopping 3.08 lbs.! Dave comes in second at 2 lbs - somethin' -- can't remember exactly.

Anyway, that's it....

MEET MY GIRLS!

2009-07-07T02:53:00.006-05:00

Vestia - about 1 year old

Oreo - approx. 2 years old

Misty - about 3-4 years old

These are my little foster fuzzies - my girls. I adore them! Each has her own unique personality. Vestia is one we call, "The Baby". She loves to play, especially in the tunnel and rice box, and she hops like a little bunny. She's very lovie and social. Beautiful blaze markings, too. Of course, I'm attached to her. Of course.

Oreo is older and I honestly don't know if she will ever find a Forever Home because of her age. That's more than OK with me, because I have fallen in love with her. She is so mellow and affectionate. She gives the best kisses ever! Oreo is a perfect name for her because her markings are like Cookies & Cream ice cream! Oreo is very petite and girly. She loves her Princess Hammock I sewed for her! Correction: I found out Oreo was only two years old, not five. Thought she looked good for her age!! LOL!

Misty is one we affectionately call, "Cubra Cabre". She has a slight, er, biting issue. She doesn't bite me, but she bites my husband. Haha...can't help it, it's kind of funny. I totally love her. She is very assertive with my boys. When they come up to the barrier, she turns around and shows them her backside!! It's hysterical!!

My little Snow is doing great -- he has plenty of energy and a good appetite. He loves to play in the Walmart sacks. He's going to get a distemper shot in a couple of weeks, which concerns me. But it's important he stay immunized because of his condition.

I've been busy putting together a calendar for the Rescue so we can sell it for fundraising. It's been a bit of a job, but I've had a good time doing it. We are already starting to make plans for the big Pet Fest we have in the fall. The theme is Western and Rocky has already ordered his cowboy hat and bandana!

SNOW WONDER

2009-07-01T15:47:00.007-05:00

Snow went back to the vet yesterday to be rechecked - he's been on his medicines for about a week now. It was great news! He went down from a Stage 5 (Stage 6 is the worst) heart murmur to a Stage 2-3. So the meds seem to be working and he is being a bit more bouncy these past few days. A huge relief!

I also had Dave E. Bear and Snow's glucoses checked. They both read 71, which is in a gray area. Dr. Dori said we will watch it and to recheck in 6 weeks. Dave shows no symptoms of insulinoma. Snow is teeth grinding and itchy. And his breath is foul ! OMG.

I decided to keep Snow in his own "apartment" and let George share with him. Ziggy is much better around Snow, but every now and then still gets a wild hair and decides to go after him. I don't want Snow to be stressed out and unhappy, so keeping him in his own cage is the best solution. I'm putting George in with Snow because they seem to have bonded and I want Snow to have a BFFF (Best Forever Ferret Friend).

I also made one of our small travel/medical cages into Ziggy Jail. Instead of being put up in his regular cage when he misbehaves, he gets put in this cage for 10 minutes. Hopefully, it will help get the message across that picking on others is not OK!

My little foster girls are doing great and I'm crazy in love with them. I'm way overdue for posting pics. I'll get to it soon. Adoptions are slow, I guess due to the economy being bad. I'm in no hurry, though. They are just adorable!

IT'S NO HAIRBALL

2009-06-23T12:47:00.003-05:00

Well...so much for writing everyday! Ah! Life is busy -- especially since I started fostering Misty, Oreo and Vestia. It is just like having a day care now, only with 9 ferrets! The boys want to play with the girls. The girls tease the boys through the gate. Somebody poops in this corner. I clean it up. Somebody digs ALL of their food out of their bowl, thereby carpeting their cage with kibble. I clean it up. Somebody poops in another corner. I clean it up. Somebody gets in a squabble. I break it up.

Then I'll get a big wet kiss or somebody will weasel dance me and it makes everything worth it, tenfold. I was created to be a ferret mom, that's for sure. I totally love this.

The situation between Snow and Ziggy is much improved. We still have moments of disapproval, but nothing like before. They are actually sharing the same cage now. Well...they were until a day ago.

This is where my drama with Snow continues. I've only had him, what, 6 weeks. He has been fine health-wise. I had an appointment for him to get his yearly rabies vaccination. The night before his appointment (this past Sunday) he began to have labored breathing and went "flat". And he kept trying to go to the potty pad over and over.

I thought he had a hairball, seriously. Dr. Dori checked him out yesterday and told me that he has a "really bad" heart murmur. So she put him on Lasix and Benazapril, which seems to have already improved his breathing.

I can't even find the words to explain how sad and devestated I feel around this. We only recently lost our Cupid to the same type of illness and it was hard. This feels downright unfair. The positive aspect of this (and I reaching here) is that little Snow is younger thn Cupid was and doesn't (at least I think) have any other illnesses, like insulinoma to further complicate the heart issue.

Honestly, I love the little DEW and albino ferrets. But I don't know if I ever own another one after this. It's too heartbreaking.

so there is happiness around the FriskyBiznus House of Ferret. And there is sadness and fear - a repeat of the slow loss we just went through with Cupid.

I will post some foster pics up soon. And if anyone ever misses me here on my blog, you can find me on Facebook! Feel free to friend me!

WISDOM POINT EARNED

2009-06-15T18:42:00.003-05:00

LOOK!!! It's Snow and Ziggy, all curled up and cuddly in the Sacred Hidey Hole! Momma is soooo happy!!! Whew!

And the Moral of the Story is: Patience is Key When Dealing With Stubborn Ferret.

I was at the rescue on Sunday, helping with clean day. It's hard work, but I really love it. The people are awesome and the ferrets are a joy. I also brought my three foster girls home! They are adapting well -- of course they are separated from my boys - at least for a couple of weeks. They are just beautiful. I'll post pictures soon!

Last Thursday, little Milo (my baby) decided to come down with stinky diarrhea. He was playing and eating - didn't act sick at all. I waited until Friday morning, and he still had it, so I took him to the vet on Friday afternoon. We went into the exam room and, while we were waiting for the vet, Milo pottied on the floor. And...it was perfectly normal! It was a miracle!! LOL! Dr. Taylor looked him over real good and said he thought Milo had a little angry colon. So we had to withold treats for a couple of days to make sure his potties really were straightened out.

He's fine. I just know to never take a chance with diarrhea in a ferret. They can dehydrate very quickly. I'd rather take them to the vet and be pleasantly suprised (like this visit) rather than take any chances.

Time to go get the girls out! I'll post again soon!

THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING ORNERY

2009-06-09T12:22:00.006-05:00

VS.

Not a huge amount of improvement with Ziggy's dislike toward Snow. He will behave a little and not terrorize poor Snow too much, but then will turn around and drag him out of the hammock and get Snow squealing. Still puffy tails with an occasional poo.

The best I can do is scruff and drag Ziggy when he is being ornery and lay Snow on top of him, in a dominant position. I really can't say Zigs is being mean; he's being like a pesky little brother. Snow isn't wanting to dominate Zigs; he just wants to be left alone. So Snow won't back down. Much.

I'm going to hold out hope, but this may be the best I can ask for -- at least until Zigs gets bored with Snow. Actually, this morning I was very proud of Ziggy. Seems that the first thing he does when I open up the cages to let everyone out is to go up into Snow's cage and bug him. I always pull him out with a stern "NO!". This morning I watched Ziggy go into Snow's cage and I said, "Ziggy, no sir. Come out of there right now." And he did!!! He got a lick of Ferratone for that one.

So, we are just taking things one day at a time. Surely this little conflict can't last forever....can it????!

A GOOD ARTICLE

2009-06-08T13:09:00.001-05:00

This is a very good post about ferret behavior! Worth a read for experienced or new ferret owners!

Ferrets in the North: How to live with your ferret - 5 tips for successful cohabitation

EVERYBODY DUCK!!!

2009-06-08T12:39:00.003-05:00

Misty
Vestia

Oreo

The above photos are of the thre little girls I'm going to foster! I took these at the rescue, so when they get over here, more photos are sure to follow!

I've been pondering the Duck Soup issue and I don't think I'm ready to take it away from my guys right now. They love it, it's healthy for them and it is a special time I have with them when I give it to them. I won't be doing it daily with my foster girls, so that is kind of good. But my little ones just love it and why take away something that is good for them to have?

Go, Duck Soup!

INSPECTION DAY!

2009-06-07T22:18:00.006-05:00

Outside playday! Snow peeks out of the cube; Rocky

and Ziggy are in the background playing with a sack!
Snow is a lovie bug and lets me hold him!

My Sweet Snow - Playing in the Cube

Here are a few pics of Snow and I'll try to get some more taken of him. He is so beautiful (I love his little cowlicked hair on his head!) and a bit camera shy. Nothing that a bit of Ferretone won't cure!

My inspection went well ! They were very thorough and so I'm honored they welcomed me on as a Foster Mom! I am going to have three little girls!!! Girls!!! I've never had girl ferrets before!! I am thrilled! I will pick them up this coming Sunday, so I have one more week to do some finishing stuff before bringing them home.

So, yeah! I'm psyched!

ABOUT DUCK SOUP:

I have been feeding all my guys Duck Soup every single day. I just found out today that it isn't necessary or even really desirable, unless they are old or ill. The recipe I use has a large fat content. Oops...They told me to cut them back to once per week. Easier said than done. My guys love the stuff and come looking for it!! I'm gonna have to wean them back, gradually. Boy, does that give me a break, though. It was being very time consuming. I didn't mind..I enjoy holding them in my lap and petting them while they eat their soup. It just takes a while!

My eyes are heavy --- it was a big day!!

SOMETHING FERRET-ISH THIS WAY COMES....

2009-06-06T12:10:00.006-05:00

There was no trouble between Snow and Ziggy yesterday, but I won't hold my breath just yet....

Snow is a night person (So was Cupid). He decides to get frisky and start being all cute on me at, like, midnight!! He helped me make the rice box for the rescue room last night and tried it out for me. Then he danced for me. What a doll. I'm just really glad we have him.

Tomorrow is my big day for the inspection. We have the rescue cages set up in our workout room. There's plenty of space for the rescue guys to play in there and I'll set up other places for them, too. The best purchase I've made is an 11-panel playpen -- very versatile!

Yesterday I went and bought stuff to make a rice box, a really cute cat tower with a tunnel attached, a kitty pirate ship (eeeeee!), and some little stuffed animals - one for each cage. Milo went through the sacks when I got home and stole a toy I bought. He loves, loves stuffed animals.

All of my guys are sensing something ferret-ish in the air and are all excited. It's going to be interesting to have two separate groups to deal with now, but I can't wait!!

AS THE POO FLIES

2009-06-05T15:14:00.004-05:00

Wow, time kind of got away from me and I haven't had a chance to catch up! Not a whole lot new on the Ferret Front. Ziggy and Snow are still unable to make friends. ;( I've been faked out a couple of times, thinking they were past their little squabbles, but, no....they are still at it. Zigs is the main instigator. He owns the house and everything in it, so poor Snow can't go anywhere without Ziggy trying to push him out. Snow has stopped trying to go into the Hidey Hole and often finds refuge in his own cage. But, numerous times I am having to pull Ziggy out of Snow's cage and tell him, "No, sir!"

The squabbles are still far away from any sign of play. Tails puff and sometimes there is a spray of very stinky poo. I tried letting them "fight it out", but it was obvious that isn't going to work. So now I have to step in and scruff Ziggy, tell him "no" and try sending him in another direction. Yesterday evening, we broke up a fight and I held Snow on top of Ziggy while K. held Ziggy. Needless to say, that hurt Zig's feelings. I'm hoping he will get bored soon and decide to at least tolerate Snow. UGH! It's just like having bickering two-year-olds...

And I hate being a bad guy and getting on to little Ziggy, who is really very sweet.

All my other guys are doing great and getting along with Snow fine. He's shy and pretty much still keeps to himself. He likes his cage and chooses to sleep there, even when I let him know it's OK for him to come out. Sometimes he sleeps in the hammock under the bed with George. Snow is also very sweet likes to be held. He's just had a rough time. He came to the rescue last July through another rescue agency that doesn't take ferrets. He was adopted in September and returned to the rescue in March, because the people couldn't afford to keep him. Poor little one. I think he's a bit uncertain and I don't blame him. Now he's with us and has a Wild Ziggy running after him!!

It's gonna be OK. It will just take some time.

In other news: I'm going to be inspected on Sunday to see if I am approved to do fostering for Dana. I have the cages set up, but need to gather a few more things. I'm very excited!!

FIVE IN A HAMMOCK

2009-05-26T17:34:00.005-05:00

As I write, there are five fuzzies in the big hammock under the bed and poor Snow is sleeping by himself in the Hidey Hole. The squabbling is not happening much anymore; now we are ignoring the new guy. Poor little Snow. I gave him another bath today, thinking that it might be a smell on him. And I washed all the bedding. Isn't making much difference.

I guess patience is the key, here. I mean, how does one make ferrets get along and like each other??

Snow is a sweet little guy. And really, really pretty. He's very fluffy. He's social...he's not shunning the other guys at all. He is very playful and does these amazing war dances!! He's stealing Ziggy's balls -- heehee!

I spent the weekend cleaning rescue cages and sewing hammocks. I came up with the idea of sewing hammocks from old t-shirts and I love the result! Cute, huh? And cheap and unique! Just need to ask for t-shirt donations at work and hit my local thrift store. Woot!

Oh...and I managed to give myself a few severe chemical burns on my hands from cleaning the cages. Ugh! Painful and ugly!! Should've worn gloves..... :/ Should NOT have mixed chlorine bleach and comet....hey the cages are clean.

SNOW'S BIG DAY OUT

2009-05-22T12:19:00.004-05:00

So I get home from work yesterday and I notice Snow's cage door is open, and, naturally, no Snow in the cage. He was contentedly asleep in the Hidey Hole, no worries. We are pretty much ferret proofed and certain doors were shut, so he wasn't in danger. Still, I prefer they be caged when no one is home.

I had to laugh, though, because there he was all stretched out in the HH, looking up at me with sleepy eyes. I asked him if he'd spent his day taunting the other ferrets through the cage bars! ("Neener neener neeeeener, I'm out of my caaage!") And I figured it was yet one more irritation to Ziggy...(poor Zigs, he gets no respect...)

Anyway. I'm seeing things sort of settle down between Snow and Ziggy. We aren't officially friends yet and there is still some squabbling. But every day is better and better. I'll give it another week and I think they'll be sleeping in the HH together. Milo keeps stealing Snow's little stuffed racoon I bought him, which tells me Snow is becoming part of the business because his toy is worth thieving!!

AND IN OTHER NEWS:

Yesterday was our little Dave E. Bear's fifth birthday! Yay, Dave Bear!
We have this treadmill we are supposed to be selling now sitting in our living room. Rocky was wound up yesterday evening and climbed on the arm rest of a chair and tried to fly up to the treadmill console....and missed! He would've made it on World's Funniest Pets. Too bad I didn't get it on camera. No, he was not injured. He simply war danced across the room...
Today I will go home and start on cleaning more out of the workout room. Tomorrow, I get up bright and early and start cage cleaning and assembling.
Sometime, too, I need to sew a bedding set for a raffle we are doing for the rescue. Thank God I'm taking some days off from work!!

That's it, I believe. Just another day in the life of a woman, her man and bunch of little fuzz balls!

WORLD WAR FERRET

2009-05-21T12:51:00.006-05:00

NEWS REGARDING THE RESCUE EFFORT:

Arrrggghh! OK. This is what's going on today. I am not going to do my own rescue. Instead, I'm going to be a foster home/satellite rescue for my friend Dana (Forever Homes Wanted Ferret Rescue). This is much better for everyone: me, hubby, HAFA and the ferret-loving community. We only need to concentrate on fund-raising and other support for one rescue, instead of two. Help and funds are scant enough without the added stress. It actually makes me feel good that they were going to support me somehow, anyway, and that Dana is willing to let me be a serious foster home for her. I guess they like me, despite the fact that I am kind of loopy!

So, anyway, I bought home cages that I need to clean and set up. At first it didn't even look like this was going to happen. K. and I had a difficult discussion around the whole rescue issue. He has his thoughts and ideas -- I have mine. The sticking point was the problem of having enough space for the little guys (cages and free-roam space). Lack of communication, me getting upset and throwing my hands up in the air, saying, "Just forget it!" put a strain on the subject, to say the least. So I declared myself as being done.

Then hubby decided it's OK to sell the treadmill and rearrange some stuff in our workout room so I can have half of it for my cages and play space. So we are back on. There's lots to do and I think it's OK to be excited again....!

IN THE FERRET NEWS:

Well. It's been interesting. We've had Snow now for about 5 days now. He is getting along pretty well with everyone except Ziggy and Milo. Milo is my baby, only about 6 months old. He is Ziggy's ferret. Right now I think it's a pecking order issue between the baby and the new guy.

Ziggy is my one-year-old. He has made it his job to defend the Hidey Hole and his pet ferret, Milo. Not to mention his panda bear, his bubble wrap, his balls, his fish...etc. So he and Snow are not liking each other so much. They are fighting, with blood once (I believe it was an accident - Ziggy's foot got nicked) and poo more than once.

The poo is Snow's. At first, I though Ziggy was scaring the s**t out of Snow. But, I've figured out, that Snow is using it as a weapon!! I guess, since he can't spray, he poos! Here's hoping he gets past that little behavior....

Anyway, these two were at it again this morning. I decided I'm doing no one any favors by jumping in every time, so I stood close by and watched (just in case I saw an ear fly across the room or something). It was puff tail and scramble and rolling. Ziggy was dookdookdook-ing and Snow was screaming like a girl. They barely touched each other, really, just the neck holding that's normal. A little while later, I find Ziggy in Snow's cage, laying next to Snow and being nice (but dooking under his breath).

So there you go. Ferret behaviour 101. Fighting is normal. Perhaps even a bit of blood is normal. And poo. Our job is to make sure no body parts fall off and give lots of love, reassurance and Ferratone.

IT'S PATHETIC, REALLY

2009-05-18T18:20:00.007-05:00

OK, so I will start with the happy news, first, since happy news makes me happy! :) This is Snow! He came home with me yesterday. So far, he is settling in pretty well. There is a problem with him and Ziggy not getting along and fighting to the point of puffy tail, poop and blood (Ziggy's foot). It doesn't appear to be one bullying the other. It seems to be a mutual dislike. That part has been a drag and I hope it will work itself out sooner rather than later. I gave everyone a bath in lavender baby shampoo today. Perhaps this picture of Ziggy can explain how everyone felt about a bath:

LOL! It's his porcupine look!

Anyway, K. is OK with Snow coming home with me. BUT, he is NOT OK with any type of rescue. I got that message loud and clear last night. I've cried my eyes out about it. Now I just need to move forward and accept that it just isn't going to happen. I feel like a real dumbass. Oh well.

I 'm grateful to have my six little guys that I love so much and who love me, too. That's all that matters, anyway.

Eh. I'm in no mood to write.

JUST TELL HIM, ALREADY!

2009-05-16T14:04:00.004-05:00

Tomorrow I pick up Snow and, no, I haven't said anything about it and I'm prolly gonna get in all kinds of trouble. I need to just tell him and quit worrying about it. K. & I had a long talk about the rescue I want to start and he's apprehensive about it. I, on the other hand, am so sure that it's right. I'm working hard on getting a timeline of goals set, a business plan written, etc. I think money is the biggest issue, even though I explained to him that I am going to do fundraising.

I pressing forward and praying K. will come around and see I'm not trying to get in the way of our plans to reduce our debt. I'm following a passion, a calling.

It's not that I'm discouraged and it's not that he doesn't want me to do it. He just is very focused on our five-year debt reduction plan and is unwilling to have any interference. There's got to be a way of working it out so we both get what we want.

Ugh! I'm kind of streesed right now...

IT'S ALL SO RANDOM

2009-05-14T19:12:00.005-05:00

Random Thing #1: Yesterday I filled up a big plastic tub with water and put some bubble bath in it. The fuzzies were totally enthralled. Milo stuck his head in the bubbles and came up with them stuck all over his face and whiskers. Of course, my camera was out of reach. It was the funniest thing....then Milo kept trying to push the other guys in the water and everyone was dooking and dancing!

Random Thing #2: You know, I never see George eat? It's weird. I know he must be eating, because he's healthy and he's pooping! When I first brought him home, he was eating Marshalls. Then he decided he liked the Totally Ferret, so he switched himself to that. Now, I'm not sure what he's doing....except eat his Duck Soup and his N-Bones. He must be waiting until no one is looking!!!

Random Thing#3: We think Dave killed a bug and ate part of it. ((Good boy, Dave!!))

Random Thing #4: Oh, this is so sad. The little white ferret on my video bar, "Queenie, the Toy Whore", is missing. Apparently she was adopted out and then must've got out -- don't know the whole story, except she's lost somewhere up in Philly and the rescue people are going there to help look for her. How awful. I have a real fear of that. I could never forgive myself if one of my guys got out.

Random Thing # 5: Aw, my video of Queenie appears to be gone. I wonder if they took it off? Everyone is so upset.

Random Thing #6: We got the toy out of the vacuum hose. Whew.

Random Thing #7: Three more days until Snow comes home!! Yay!!!

OK, I'm all out of Randoms.....

SNOW IN MAY!

2009-05-13T21:18:00.005-05:00

I spoke with Dana tonight and told her I wanted to get Snow over Memorial Day weekend, but she's got people coming to adopt this weekend. I don't want to take the chance of losing him, so I emailed her and told her, "nevermind, I'm coming to get him this Sunday". :D

He came from Citizens for Animal Protection, so she doesn't know his story. He's somewhere between 2 and 4 years old, so we'll say he's 3 years.

I haven't mentioned this to my husband. I know. I just don't want to stir him up over Cupid again. No ferret will ever replace Cupid and I'm not suggesting that's what I'm trying to do. Little Snow stole my heart, so I just need to quietly go get him and bring him home....Besides...K. might as well get used to coming home and find me with new ferrets. That's the nature of rescue.

Ugh. I was cleaning cages tonight and accidently vaccuumed up a little bitty stuffed walrus and it is stuck!! K. is trying to get it out now.

IT'S A MOM THING....

2009-05-12T20:45:00.003-05:00

I went to the County Clerk's office and got my DBA , so now I am "officially" Friskybiznus Ferret Foster Home and Adoption ! Next step is to write out my mission statement and a business plan of some sort (including a budget, LOL!). Luckily, Keith made me write out a ferret budget a couple of months ago. Boy, it that an eye-opener. I spend a lot of money on paper towels!!!

A note of thanks to all of my friends who are rooting for me and being so supportive!!! You rock!

In other news --- everyone is doing just fine. The Duck Soup dilemma seems to have passed and we are all eating it with enthusiasm, except poor Ziggy, who just can't quite eat his DS without my intervention. Usually, one he gets going, he eats it up...but it takes some real encouragement. He's no longer a baby anymore, our Ziggy, having lost the last of any "baby fat and fluff". Now he is as sleek and graceful as Rocky. It's weird.

Milo, the baby, is now the goofy, clumsy one and bigger than any of the others. His personality is so much like Ziggy's, it's uncanny. And we are always calling each of then by the other's name!

We all still miss Cupid so very much. It is a bittersweet feeling to see Dave sleeping in the sock nest alone...oh, writing this will make me cry.

That's it. Mother's Day was lovely and I am blessed to be called "Mom" by two amazing sons and five little fuzzbutts!

THREE DOOKS AND A....

2009-05-09T22:58:00.004-05:00

Happy Dance!!!!! I just got the sweetest email from my friend at HAFA offering support and congratulations. This means the world to me.

So it looks like I'm on my way to starting Friskybiznus Ferret Foster Home and Adoption!!

NOW I'M SKEERED

2009-05-08T14:02:00.005-05:00

I've printed all kinds of good information about how to start a non-profit organization off the internet, so I'm pretty clear on what I need to do. I was happy to know it is a $ 25 fee to file for incorporation for non-profits, and not $ 300, like I thought. I'm just so excited about finally doing this -- even on a very small scale, I know I can make a difference.

The hardest thing I'm going to have to learn is how to say, "no", when I am filled up and someone wants to surrender their ferret. And the second hardest thing will be letting one go to a new forever home. As long I keep the awareness of that in front of me, I'll be OK. It's that "catching me off guard" thing I need to worry about.

The other thing I'm kind of worried about is, will my friends in HAFA support this? We have one rescue we are loyal to - in fact I am quite involved and still wish to remain so. I emailed the director of HAFA and the president of the rescue last night and told them what I want to do. No word back yet--so I hope I haven't done something inappropriate....I hope they don't tell me to go find someone else to play with.. :/

BEAR WARS

2009-05-07T20:36:00.009-05:00

ABOVE: Ziggy (an old picture) with his Beloved Panda Bear Beanie Baby.

BELOW: Milo. Tenacious. Wild at Heart. Free Spirit. Sees what he wants and goes for it

Ziggy loves his bear. I mean, he loves it. He carries it around and hides it in various places around the house. This evening, Milo had Ziggy's bear. Ziggy chases Milo down. "Gimme dat bear back, Miloz." "No wayz," Milo says, and he takes off. The chase is on and pretty soon, Ziggy gets his bear. But not for long. Milo gets the bear. "Gimme day bear back, Miloz!!" and the chase begins again. Ziggy runs back to the Hidey Hole with the bear.

I feel sorry for him, so I help him get the bear back into the Hidey Hole, safe and sound.

Oh, and he ate his Duck Soup without his little red spoon tonight....(still have to "prime" him by having him lick the soup off my finger first...)

*****

I started some brainstorming and doing some rough notes around my ferret foster home today. I also remembered the name of an attorney I used to teach yoga to, so she might be someone who could help me if I need it. I have a timeline and some goals -- it's just a matter of moving one step at a time. I can do this!!!

AIN'T SKEERED

2009-05-06T19:36:00.006-05:00

These are photos from yesterday evening. Keith did this thing where we can now block off our side patio/garden area and the ferrets can go out and play. (He's just the best!) It's a long, narrow area and,of course, we are out there with them at all times. They can explore the garden, dig, go in the tunnel under the dog house...it's cool! We just let Ziggy and Rocky out last night to see how they'd like it and, as you can see, they were pretty happy!

I just looked out the window and I can see our gardenia bush has exploded with white flowers. The white oleander is in full bloom, as well. And some white lilies. White daisies, all in bloom. Cupid was white. I take all of the white blooms as a sign he is OK and his little spirit is dancing and dooking!

There is a little guy at the rescue named "Snow" (his picture is in a previous post) and he has been on my mind for the last few days. Apparently he was adopted once, but returned to the rescue when the guy couldn't afford to have him. How sad to be surrendered twice. Snow is a good little guy, very cute and sweet. A perfect match for our group. He just may be coming home with me on the 31 st....

I printed out the government forms for a non-profit status. I really want to establish my self as a very small foster home and adoption for ferrets. Hubby is kind of freaking out, I think. I see him struggle with his own love for ferrets and wanting me to be happy and his resistance to let the IRS in our business....he says he's scared. I ain't skeered. I have to follow my heart on this.

And I know he's prolly afraid I'm gonna end up with 100 ferrets, which isn't what I want. I'm talking small scale, here...like no more than 10, ever. I have a lot of work ahead of me, anyway...I'm going to attempt this without a lawyer -- the filing fees are outrageous enough without having to pay someone to do it for me on top of it. I can do it. I did FAFSA forms for both of my sons for five years. I can take on Form 1023.

And Now......The part of the blog you've been waiting for.........(drum roll, please).......

ZIGGY vs. THE BOWL OF DUCK SOUP

Damn. Again, tonight, he won't eat it out of the bowl. It's off of my finger or out of his little red spoon or nothin'. So that's what we did. Off my finger, out of his little red spoon. My plan to outwit him has failed. He is officially smarter than I am.

So wrong. Soooo wrong......

ONE OF THESE THINGS IS NOT LIKE THE OTHER

2009-05-05T22:50:00.006-05:00

Rocky was in charge today. He made his rounds and stayed awake when I got home from work. Then he climbed his cage and ended up in a picture with his stuffed animals!!

He climbed up there to get his toy remote control mouse.

Duck Soup was better tonight. Everyone (except Ziggy) ate with much more enthusiasm than the past couple of nights. Ziggy is just rotten. He was having to lick the soup off of my finger for a while before he'd start eating from the bowl. OK. Tonight? He would only eat the soup from a spoon. This isn't good. He's teaching me how to feed him!!

Sleeeeepyy.

BUT RED IS YOUR COLOR

2009-05-04T21:45:00.007-05:00

This is Snow, one of the rescue ferrets, demonstrating the thrill of Ferret Spa Day. He's a cutie-pie....

Tonight was ferret spa night - ears, nails and coat conditioner finalized with a nice brushing and a lick of FerretVite for good behavior. I actually came out of it without blood (mine) this time.

I completed the bedding set I had to make today, as well, and I am very pleased with it. I really wish I had a little girl ferret to justify flowers and cute girly patterns, but whoa is me...I got five stinky boys.

And they looooove their momma. Except when she puts a wet q-tip in their ear. Then, momma is barely tolerated.....

Pics of my bedding set.

Speaking of tolerated: My new Duck Soup recipe isn't going over as well as I thought. Ziggy is turning his nose up and will only eat it from my finger. George, Rocky and Milo eat it, but with a total lack of enthusiasm. Dave, God love him, laps it up like there is no tomorrow. I have a huge batch in the freezer they've got to eat. I'm hoping they will start to like it as time goes on....

Silly ferrets.

ZIGGY THIEVES THE NAPKINS and other random babblings

2009-05-03T23:19:00.005-05:00

Today I am recovering from a bad case of bronchitis and a cold. Felt a bit better, so I made the babees new bedding and cleaned cages. It's cute cotton material: Winnie the Pooh and blue gingham!
I even made a couple of fleece blankies.

Then Keith went to the store for fajita stuff. George and Ziggy decided to help unpack...

....and Ziggy stole the bag of napkins......(can you see his little face? He's trying to take the napkins into he tubes....)

I wore a mask with the fuzzies yesterday. It was miserable, but I am concerned about them getting my cold. I just hope I haven't infected them. That will so suck.

Keith planted white daisies and herbs next to Cupid today. So pretty. Two of my friends from HAFA lost their ferrets recently. It's been a sad week.

CAR THIEF THWARTED

2009-05-02T16:31:00.003-05:00

OK, so George, Rocky and Dave are begging for treats today. They are given a few, but then the treats are put up.

George wants a treat. "No more, George Porge", I say. A little later I hear a noise from the bedroom. I ignore it. It wasn't a big noise, after all.

A few moments later, I do hear a bigger noise. I get up to investigate.......oh, how I wish my camera were handy. I caught George redhanded -- he's somehow scaled a large chest of drawers, got to the top, reached over for my purse, which hung on a hook near the chest. He dug in my purse (front feet and nose in my purse, back feet balanced on the chest of drawers) and stole my car keys!!

Apparently, he was gonna drive to PetCo......(joke's on him though. He has no money!!!)

That silly George.

GEORGE'S BIRTHDAY

2009-05-01T19:12:00.003-05:00

Today is George's third birthday! Happy Birthday, little fuzzy man. I'm so glad we have George. He came to live with us last November. He came from a home with nice people, but he belonged to their teenage boy who'd lost interest in him. I can't imagine...

Anyway, they posted a notice on the Ferret Association meetup board looking for a good home. They lived very close to me, so I contacted them and, pretty soon, George was ours!

He is a delight. He is very laid back and very smart. He can leap tall buildings in a single bound. He could eat a whole pack of N-bones in one sitting if I let him. When he wants a treat, he sits down at our feet in the kitchen and looks up at us and moves his mouth, like he's trying to talk. We call it "meow-meow"-ing (after the cat food commercial where the cat would sing, "Meow, meow, meow, meow...") I need to get a video of him doing that...

George loves Duck Soup and Ferratone and shivers when he knows he is gonna get some. He is a bit of a wiggle worm when held and will make his front legs like an airplane.

He gives the best kisses ever. He is a good friend to the other ferrets and to us, too. George is my sweet boy!

OH, MY ZIGGY...

2009-04-30T20:10:00.005-05:00

My little Ziggy. He's one of my WildCatz. The last couple of days he had been very quiet and a bit needy. He wants to be cuddled and carried. He's playing, but he hasn't been doing any flying leaps onto my leg.

I get concerned when their personality changes. It's not that he's depressed, really. He's just...quiet. He switched off his Silly Button. I tend to speculate as to why. Perhaps Cupid's absence is starting to sink in? Maybe he's picking up on the fact that things are different? Maybe the "pecking order" is shifting?

He seems to be eating OK. But he has slimmed down. I know that is normal for this time of year and for his age, though. Rocky did the same thing last year at this time and I was so worried he was going to dry up and blow away! ....So I'm starting to understand their cycles....

Re: My Duck Soup made with fresh chicken and TF Complete Care mixed in ~ My blind guy, Dave, knows when I'm making a fresh batch of DS. He hears the blender and smells the smells and comes into the kitchen to check it out. He always gets a taste of the new batch. I was anxious to see how he liked the new recipe. Well....he loved it. His little tongue was on high speed, lapping it up! Too cute! I guess I got his seal of approval in the fom of tongue licks in the DS bowl!!

That's it for todays news...

EAT MORE CHIKIN

2009-04-29T18:24:00.004-05:00

The Duck Soup recipe I use calls for chicken or turkey baby food. Tonight I decided to try boiling some chicken thighs, instead, and make it with that. Hopefully, my guys will like it as much as the Gerbers!

I'm also going to add some Complete Care (Totally Ferret makes it) to the batch to increase the nutritional value even more.

I feed my guys Duck Soup every day. In their eyes, it's like a treat and they can't wait to get it. But it's so good for them, there's no worries around giving it to them (sometimes Dave or George will get seconds -- because they're good boys). When Cupid got sick, he stuck to eating the Duck Soup even when he quit his solid food. So, we reaped the benefits of Cupid being familiar with the soup.

Everyone seems to be adjusting to Cupid's death. Every now and then, I see one of them looking for him. But it's getting better and better each day. Dave has played and romped so much more than he used to --and that just blows my mind. All five get along famously and stick together.

Rocky does a good job as Alpha and I think he has been great with the other four fuzzies as they adjust to the loss of their friend. In fact, I think it's Rocky that brought little Dave out of his shell and helped him gain some confidence, despite his blindness.

I think the psychology of the ferret is fascinating. They definitely think, they have feelings. Watching them with Cupid when he was so ill was very interesting. They would check on him and groom him. And it cracks me up to watch how they move their toys around and "arrange" the Hidey Hole. They have an empty Coke can in there. They set it up so that it falls and makes noise when the closet door is opened. They are so funny!

DAVE'S BLOG

2009-04-28T22:06:00.003-05:00

O, hai, dis be Dave. I write de blog tonite becuz mah Mommy dozn't feel goodz. She went to da peeple vet and he sez she gotz a bronkitus.

So, dis good tyme to remind everybuddy to be carefulz wit ur ferrets when u getz a cold or sumting. We can git sik ezy. And we can cach ur coldz!

We all been good boyz todayz. We sure miss r friend, Cupid, tho. Mommy sez he went to a place he not sik enymor. Dat makes me very happy.

Milo got black eye, cuz he play too rough with Ziggy. But he still iz playin too rough, even tho Mommy said stop. He prolly git anuther black eye. Dat be funny to me!

OK, dat all. Mommy prolly back tomorrow.

Love,

Dave E. Bear

OUCHIE! MAH EYE!

2009-04-27T12:31:00.004-05:00

I got Milo into the vet this morning. Heehee, he has a black eye! It's an injury from some major rumbling, but, luckily, there's no damage to the cornea ~ just the lid is bruised. When I called for the appointment, they told me that I shouldn't have used the Trioptic-S before having his eye checked. Apparently, there is a risk of the steriod in that medicine to cause blindness if it gets in to a scratch.

Well, damn. Color me panicked. I even "Googled" information about the medicine this weekend and found nothing about that contraindication. Of, course, I never would have used it, had I known.

It turned out OK, though. In fact Dr. Dori wants me to continue the medicine for three more days. Whew....

Lesson #101,563: Be careful of what you use on your ferret, even if it's a medicine designed for ferret use and the internet says it's fine.

FUNERAL FOR A FERRET

2009-04-26T20:31:00.003-05:00

Today was the day we buried Cupid. For me, it was a beautiful closure and goodbye ritual for my friend. Keith made a lovely spot in our front garden. We bought this solar glass sphere that lights up at night. It's really cool ~ it changes colors and looks very happy in the garden next to Cupid.

This has been so painful for us and it's been very hard on Keith. I knew he loved Cupid, but I guess I didn't realize how much. He's crushed. And that, in itself, has been a heartbreak for me.

More drama: I came home on Saturday and found little baby Milo with his left eye all gooey and mated and swollen shut. It wasn't that way in the morning when I left for work, so whatever it is, it came on during the day Saturday. I cleaned his eye with warm water and held a warm teabag on it for a minute. (Oh, he loved that, let me tell ya) Luckily, I had some Trioptic-S oinment leftover from a time when Cupid had an eye irritation. Good ole Cupid, he saved the day. The teabag helped the swelling and the Trioptic seems to be taking care of the infection, but we may see if he can get into the vet tomorrow, just to be safe.

Made a big order at Ferret Depot and Totally Ferret today. Hopefully, it will last a month or a little more. Yippee, I got an extension set for the playpen, so there will be more rumble room!

DREAM A LITTLE DREAM

2009-04-25T12:30:00.008-05:00

My son, Nathan, told me he had a dream about Cupid yesterday morning. He dreamt that Cupid was bouncing and playing and climbing on his head. I choose to believe that this was Cupid's message to me: that he is just fine; that he is happy, free and healthy again. And that there really is such a place called "heaven".

The Eric Clapton song, Tears in Heaven, has been running through my head for a few days now. Nathan says it's "Cupid's Song". Yeah.

I've had so much support and wonderful messages from others. It's really cool to feel the spirit of love and empathy from close friends and people I hardly know. That's grace.

Today has been a little easier, because life does go on. The five WildCats (my other ferrets) are noticing Cupid's absence. I found Dave sleeping in Cupid's sock nest last night and George has been there, too, seeming to look for Cupid. George seemed a bit sad this morning, sniffing around and then going flat as if it was just hitting him that his friend has really left.

Dave, who was Cupid's cagemate and BFF, has been very interesting. He seems...peaceful. And, suddenly he is playing and war-dancing more than I've ever seen him do before. It's almost uncharacteristic for him. And I wonder, perhaps Dave feels the peace that Cupid is feeling.

I don't know. Maybe I'm reaching. But ferrets can be quite intense and feeling little creatures. And I believe animals are intuitive around the unseen and spiritual.

The cage that Cupid lived in for the last month now stands stark and empty. I suddenly have more time again. No more multiple feedings and medication times. No more extra laundry on top of the already circulating pile. No more nights of just sitting there, watching, crying, praying.

It's done. Now our lives with ferrets returns to more of a "normal" (uh, yeah...) state. My blogs won't be monopolized with Cupid and his illness and my fears. Now I can write more about the ordinary, the mundane, the silliness, the tearing out of my hair because the lamp got knocked down again.

There are probably a couple more posts about Cupid. We bury him on Sunday and I will write about that. I will miss him and have waves of grief and I will write about that, too. But, soon I can move on and give the other five guys a chance in the Blog Spotlight.

TEARS IN HEAVEN

2009-04-24T17:15:00.007-05:00

So, this morning at about 4 am, Cupid McPoo crossed over the Bridge. He was approximately 6 1/2 years old. Cupid began breathing very laboriously during the evening and it steadily progressed into the night and early morning. Keith and I sat up with him. We talked to him, we held him. I sang to him. We put him in a soft pet bed and petted him.

We put him in his little bed in our bed between us. I remember looking at the clock and it was close to 3:30 am. I must have dozed off for a few minutes. When I opened my eyes, he was gone. He was still very warm, so I know it had only been minutes.

We've cried and cried. My head tells me he is OK now, and running and playing. My heart aches. I miss him. He was such a beautiful friend.

I called off from work and stayed home. I cleaned the cages and gathered up Cupid's things: his favorite blanket, a grass ball, a ping pong ball, a sock, his spoon, his toothbrush. I snipped some of his hair (he had a beautiful white and apricot coat) and I snipped some of my hair to bury with him. Before he died, I'd taken his paw prints. Anyway, all of his stuff is gathered together. I picked some flowers from our garden and made an arrangement and put it next to his stuff. And I've been burning a small candle.

Perhaps to some, that's goofy. But to me, it's not enough.

The other ferrets have been a bit quiet today. Their play has been subdued. Last night, as Cupid was laying in his bed, they came up and sniffed him, sneezed and went away. It was strange. They played around him. They seen to have accepted his passing so far. Dave is the one I need to watch, since he and Cupid have always been together.

But so far? Dave has comforted me. They all have.

So long, Sensei. Fly high little ferret. I love you.

I can't write anymore right now.

MELTDOWNS BECOMING MORE COMMON

2009-04-23T14:29:00.005-05:00

It's been a very emotional day. I got up this morning to find Cupid with poo all over him. He'd made it to the potty pad, but was too tired to get up, so he must've laid in it. So I had to give him a wash under the sink. He's getting a little congested now, and one side of his nose is irritated. I've been putting A & D Ointment on it.

I mentioned to Keith that perhaps it's time to think about putting him down. He disagrees with me on that. It's not that we got into a fight, but lots of feelings were coming up and it was very tense and there were a lot of tears and words. I was an hour late to work ~ came in with smeared makeup and swollen eyes from sobbing so much. I felt like such a bad guy, bringing it up. Like I was being heartless. But, no, that wasn't it at all. I'm not being heartless, I'm being heartbroken.

(I'm not feeling much empathy here at work- just from one person. Everyone else is just avoiding me. The don't get it and I guess I'm some kind of nut-so in their mind. I don't care, really.....well...maybe I do....)

Keith told me, "Look, you wanted a ferret. Now we have six. You are going to have to learn to deal with this part of having them, too!" And I said, "I am learning to deal with it! I've been learning since he got sick!" Geeze. It was just too intense; I am physically and mentally exhausted. I'm sure Keith is, as well.

I mean, everything is OK. We have diffferent ideas about what might be best for Cupid, that's all. Neither is wrong or right. We both love him dearly and want what's best for him. Bottom line, we won't put him down. He will stay with us for as long as he stays. The decision may change, depending on what happens.

Anyway, that's it. Better get myself back to work...

GENERALALITIES

2009-04-22T20:35:00.009-05:00

That Dave. He's such a Duck Soup addict. I feed all my guys DS every night. I hold each one individually in my lap and they eat their soup while I pet them and talk to them. This gives me a little bit of time with each ferret, plus I can do little "inspections" to make sure they don't have any lumps or bumps. Dave just loves it. Sometimes he waits for me in the chair (too cute). After he eats, he stays in my lap and cleans his face and feet and stretches. It always brings me out of whatever is distracting me.

Sometimes George hangs around in my lap a few minutes, too; the rest of the guys can't wait to jump back down (they still have to give me a 'lovie' first, though, that's the rule).

Every now and then I put the bowl of Cupid's leftovers (what didn't get pulled into his syringe) on the floor. Dave gets it every time! He may be blind, but he can sniff out a bowl of Duck Soup. I don't mind at all ~ it's very good for them.

I'm thinking of trying real chicken in the place of the chicken baby food I use, just to see how the like it. I tried offering raw beef a few days ago, which didn't go over too well, haha, but perhaps boiled chicken in the DS will be acceptable. :?

Cupid is still with us. Still bad, no real change. One of his little eyes was all gooey today when I got home from work. His nose was a little crusty, too. I got a syringe of soup and a bit of water down him. My poor baby.

Last night, Keith put Cupid in a little bed and put him on the floor next to his side of the bed ((so sweet)). Cupid slept there until about 4 am, when I woke up cough, cough, coughing....So I got up and put Cupid back in his cage.

I am sleep deprived, but I don't care. It's worth it.

HANGING IN THERE

2009-04-21T22:50:00.007-05:00

((sighing heavily))

Cupid is still hanging on, which, honestly, is amazing. He's having a hard time letting go, too, I guess. He can't walk at all, but insists on getting himself to the potty pad anyway. He deserves his dignity. He's taken to sleeping in plastic shopping bags, so Keith has him in his office with him right now, sleeping in a WalMart bag.

All my other guys are zonked out, except Milo, who is eating heartily. ((crunch crunch crunch)) It's so cute how they move their little heads from side to side when they eat...

It's all quiet on the Ferret Front.

BUTTERFLY COCOONS AND SPRING FLOWERS

2009-04-20T16:19:00.011-05:00

Another meltdown on Saturday evening. Cupid is being braver than me. Now we are having to go to the "second level" of syringe feeding. Just a couple of days ago, Sensei was freely taking his soup from the syringe and I even teased him that he was getting spoiled. Now I have to push the food. Dana taught me how to do it and it isn't a cruel process or anything. It's just that I have to scruff him and put him in a football hold. It's me, being more of an assertive, "Eat-Your-Meat-Or-You-Can't-Have-Any-Pudding" ferret mom. He's taken in one and 3/4 of a syringe so far today (about 20 cc's), so that's good.

He's back to not drinking water on his own, either, so I'm having to give him Pedialyte and water with a dropper. He's so weak, he can barely get himself to his potty pad.

We are trying to make his life as comfortable as possible. He gets gentle hold times and walks (we walk, he gets carried) outside to see the Spring flowers and butterfly cocoons. We talk to him and tell him it's OK for him to go. I sense that he is being pulled between two worlds, now. I imagine that he dreams of the Rainbow Bridge.

When I hold him to feed him, Cupid and I are face-to-face. His little eyes, dark ruby, are filled with soulfulness. There is definitely a connection. He has the longest canines I've ever seen in a ferret. The tip of one of them broke off the first week I had him! This gives him character, I think.

Today I took Cupid's footprints and I think he was afraid I was trying to poke him for a glucose! I'm sure he thought I was crazy...

In other ferret news:

Whoo Hoo! We went outside this morning - a beautiful day - and played in the playpen (they played, I watched). Rocky's coat continues to change and he now has this awesome stripe-thing on the base of his tail. Must get a pic.

I went to the rescue yesterday and took some photos of a calendar I'm going to put together to help raise money. I always love going there! There are ferret fanatics (like me), and I am learing so much from them. Of course, there are lots of adorable ferrets to love on! Always, when I get home, my guys sniff me and look at me like, "Mommy! Were you cheatin' on us??!!"

One of my guys got into my mom's purse last night and stole her sunglasses. She thought that was great!

Blogging makes me sleepy. Time to go do Duck Soup. More to come....

LOVE IS LIKE OXYGEN

2009-04-17T19:21:00.008-05:00

(LEFT) Cupid "Bones" McPoo relaxes in the new kitty bed. (BELOW) Cupid and Dave "Frijole" Bear discuss the Power of Positive
Thinking.

Every day when I come home from work, every morning when I wake up, I wonder, "Is this the day? Is this the day our Cupid will cross the Bridge?" It feels awful to have that thought hovering in the back of my mind, but I don't deny it's there. He's just hanging on and I also wonder if he is suffering greatly? He doesn't appear to be in any kind of pain. But he is very weak and walking is so difficult now. He's losing interest in his food and I refuse to scruff him and force it down. When he pushes away, I try once or twice more and then we are done.

Even giving him his meds is getting more difficult. He won't open his mouth for me. Sometimes I pray that he will just go to sleep and pass peacefully ~ and put him in a happier place where his little spirit can run and dance again. This is no life for him. And as painful as it is for me to say it, I have to let go of what I want and think of Cupid.

He just looks so sad. And that breaks my heart, too. No one can fix it.

Tonight my husband fashioned a little oxygen tent and pumped some oxygen to Cupid. It was a bittersweet attempt to do something to help him feel better. It amused Cupid for a moment, but didn't do much else. (Of course, Milo thought it was the coolest thing ever!)

As I'm writing this I hear one of the guys (not sure who it is, because they are sleeping under our bed) is crying in his sleep. I got up and reached my hand in and petted whoever is under there and spoke quietly to him...the crying stopped.

Oh, man. As hard and ievitable as this has been, I am not prepared. My own grief, Keith's grief and the grief of Cupid's friends hangs thick.

BABY FERRET EARS

2009-04-16T23:08:00.009-05:00

An odd thing: Milo is only five months old, but he seems bigger than my adult guys. I remember Ziggy being a big guy, too. When he turned a year old, the baby fat melted away and, suddenly, he became just a regular size ferret ! Milo hasn't grown into his ears or feet yet. He really looks like a mouse! He is so adorable !!

New nickname for Dave: Frijole

Cupid is getting to the point where he can barely walk. He's so weak. He only ate 1/2 of his syringe earlier and refused Ferretone (a sure sign something is wrong).

I need to go feed him again. My eyes are so heavy....took some wicked cough syrup!! :)

AIRING OUT THE BUSINESS

2009-04-15T22:06:00.007-05:00

The days have been so pretty. We had the guys out in the playpen for a little while this evening. (now they all smell "Outdoor Fresh"!!) Cupid began to shiver, so I wrapped him up in his blanket and held him. I think he likes being out in the fresh air, but he makes it known when he is ready to go back in. And it doesn't take much to wear him out, so we try to honor his needs.

The other five were so frisky tonight. Happy to see us come home from work, they ran in circles, bounced around, wrestled, attacked the guitar. George, one of my climbers, managed to get on top of the tallest dresser and knock some photos down. Rocky kept running under my feet and tripping me; then he'd war dance me. He smiled at Keith, as in:

That Rocky. He's such a mess !

Well, that's all the news here at Super Happy Ferret Funland ! Time to go feed Cupid "Bones" McPoo.

THE WAITING GAME

2009-04-14T21:31:00.004-05:00

My days are packed lately, and I haven't had a chance to write. I'm taking care of Cupid and trying to take care of my own body, which is still not feeling too smurfy due to some asthma issues.

We went to the vet yesterday and she determined that Cupid has cardiomyopathy and insulinoma which is not being controlled by the prednisone. She increased the dose of pred from .2 cc to .25 cc 2x/day. We took him off the Carafate, because it hasn't helped his teeth grinding. He is not a good candidate for insulinoma surgery, so basically, we wait. There is nothing more to do. I'm adding Carnivore Care and Totally Ferret Complete Nutrition, alternating these in his Duck Soup feedings.

He has continued to lose weight. Dr. Dori explained that it is due to the heart disease. It's just using up all of his calories. It's horrific how thin he is. He is just sleeping. Walking is getting difficult for him -- he is so weak and stumbles when he walks. He can't make it across the living room floor before laying down.

I also took Ziggy to the vet with Cupid yesterday, because he was due for his annual distemper shot. Well. He had a bad reaction. He started throwing up and he zoned out. Dr. Dori had to give him a shot of Benadryl and a cortisone shot. That was scarey. Now he will have to be pre-medicated every time.

I'm hearing the pitter-patter of little ferret feet as I type. I look down and George is checking out my humidifier. He is beautiful! His summer coat is almost in and he is almost all black, except for his white markings. And shiney!!! Need to get a good pic of him, for sure.

Feeling: sad, ill, tired

IT BE MAH BURTHDAYZ!

2009-04-08T11:30:00.011-05:00

Rocky (looking at camera) and Ziggy in the new playpen

Rocky, Ziggy and Milo play in the new playpen

(video camera works great in the sun!!)

Today is Rocky's second birthday! He got a new playpen so he and the others can enjoy these pretty days we've been having. I found it at Petco. It was the only one they had and it was out of the box, so they gave me 20% off! Score! It needs some expansion panels, but I'll order those later. They had fun digging and exploring, but when they wanted out, it was pretty clear...(look at Rocky jumping -- he totally cracked me up!)

O tay, we wantz out now...

CUPID UPDATE:

Well, he's about the same, really. He goes back to see Dr. Dori this coming Monday to be rechecked. I'm going to increasing his feedings again, because he's not eating enough kibble in between his duck soup and he is way too thin. That is, if he ever trusts me again with the syringe...

This morning I was feeding him and the syringe was tight. I pushed on the plunger too hard and it gave, squirting half of the food into poor Cupid's mouth all at once. Needless to say, the poor thing choked and gagged and I had a heart attack. No words describe how horrible I feel about that. I'm such an idiot. I'm very concerned about his aspirating some of the food. In fact I called my friend and ferret expert, Jimi, and she told me what to watch out for (coughing, rattling in the lungs, fever). So far, he seems OK. I think we both were just very traumatized.

I got another call from a ferret friend, Noni, who works at Dr. Dori's office and also is very knowledgable about ferrets. She also eased my mind and assured me he is probably just fine.

Oh, man, I'm glad I have these people in my life. They know how to talk me down from a hysteria...Thanks Jimi and Noni! You rock!

Now, here is what I learned: Syringes get sticky after a couple of uses. Coat the rubber tip on the plunger and the inside of the syringe with a little of the soup to keep it moving freely.

Poor, poor Cupid. Like he didn't have enough trouble without me trying to kill him....

Well, I'm home from work because I have a kind of asthma called Reactive Airway Disease. I'm coughing my lungs up. I'm sooooo tired, because I can't get a full night's sleep...

HOW I FELL IN LOVE

2009-04-05T10:25:00.015-05:00

This is Rocky (aka, Rocky Mamoo, Mamoo, Mamoozle, Rock Star, Barn Owl). He was my first ferret and will be turning two years old this coming Wednesday.

I'd never met a ferret until I was introduced to Delilah, my son and daughter-in-law's ferret. Something happened when they handed her to me -- it was as if I'd found my Spirit Animal ! I fell in love and did not want to let her go. It took some convincing, but my husband finally agreed to letting me get my own ferret.

I did a lot of reading and research about ferrets before I actually bought one. I bought the book, Ferrets for Dummies and read it cover to cover. Then I bought the cage and set it up.

I'd been looking at the ferrets at Petco (note: this is before I knew anything about rescued ferrets) and there was a certain one who I really seemed to connect with. I visited him a couple of times (only through the glass, though - they wouldn't let me hold him yet) and chatted with the Petco folks about ferrets. Finally, the day came when I was ready to bring him home. Thankfully, my little friend was still there.

I pointed Rocky out and told the guy he was the one. He took Rocky out of the tank, along with another ferret he thought I should look at, too. Rocky literally reached for me. It was the coolest thing. We both knew he was meant to come home with me!

I have never experienced a love for a pet like the love Rocky and I share. He is my sidekick, my muse, my best buddy. He speaks to me through his eyes and expressions. He can be silly, mellow, wild, contemplative. He is very smart and is a master at climbing and jumping. It's both amazing and frightening. Rocky taught us the rules of ferret-proofing, for sure. My poor husband had to build barriers and fashion blockades around appliances. Knick-knacks and candles became a no-no. Rocky taught me what happens between a ferret and a vase of flowers on the table (the ferret wins) !

Rocky can roll over, stand and (sort of) jump through a hoop. Favorite treats? N-bones, Foamy Fries, raisin Bandits and these things we call "crunchies". Oh, and Ferratone and Duck Soup. Rocky loves blanket fights and rides, running the tunnels and climbing. He's very gentle and has never bitten. He is Alpha to the rest of the business and is a wonderful friend and teacher to them all.

I sometimes call Rocky my little barn owl, because of the coloring and alert expression on his face. All I have to do is fluff the hair up on the top of his head and, ta-da, he becomes Barn Owl. He is a beautiful Siamese point sable. During the winter, his coat becomes cream-colored with black-brown legs, tail, mask and tips. As he sheds his winter coat, a black saddle appears on his back.

See the resemblance? :)

Rock Star was an only ferret for about ten months...and then I got Ziggy. A few months later, Cupid and Dave moved in. A couple of months after that George found me. And, of course, most recently, little Milo Mouse. (They call it "Ferret Math" and there is no cure) Each are unique and I have a special relationship with each one. Rocky will always be my first, however, and will always have that number one space in my heart.

Happy Birthday, Little One!

LUMPS AND PSYCHICS

2009-04-04T23:11:00.008-05:00

It has been a long week. I'm fighting a bug and am worn out. Little Cupid had a couple of "good" days and now he's not-so-good. I'm trying to get used to that and not freak out every time he's feeling bad. But it's really hard.

Yesterday I was scratching his tummy and felt a large lump on his left side. There's no sense in rushing him to Dr. Dori, though. He has an appointment one week from this Monday and she'll be repeating his x-rays then. Honestly, I'm preparing myself for the worst.

This is a weird thing, but sometimes I wish I could take Cupid to a pet psychic. He's always been such a serious and rather sad little dude. I'd like to know what is in his head. And I want him to know how deeply he is loved. Alas, we don't have the money to spend on such a thing! Guess I'll have to depend on my own intuition....

I need sleep....

HAVE YOU HUGGED YOUR WEASEL TODAY?

2009-04-01T20:57:00.008-05:00

The fuzzies are kind of quiet tonight. I went and got Cupid and told him I wanted to hold him for a minute. Gave him some Ferretone so he'd linger in my lap. It lasted two minutes, perhaps, before he wiggled to get down. He's never been real big on being held, but he's become even more crabby about it since he got sick. Well. He gets lovies whether he wants them or not!

Dave wouldn't have any of Cupid's grouchiness tonight. He found Cupid, woke him up and pushed him out of his bed. Then Dave proceeded to "pounce" Cupid, inviting him to play. (Pouncing in Dave and Cupid's case is more like slowly climbing, but their intention is that of pouncing). Cupid ignored Dave. Dave pounced (climbed) on Cupid again. Cupid ignored. Finally Dave lets out this big, loud, "KECK! KECK!" Cupid went into the Hidey Hole.

And that was that.

Tomorrow is National Ferret Day! Hug a Weasel ! We (some members of the Ferret Association) were in the Houston Chronicle's Lifestyle section today with a very nice little article about ferrets. Also, on the Chronicle's website, is a photo gallery with some pictures. I was all excited and was showing some people at work. One lady said she thought I needed help because I'm "obsessed". Ugh. Whatever.

Several people have notified us that they need to find a new home for their ferrets. The rescue isn't taking anymore in right now (temporarily), so it's hard to know what to tell these folks. I keep telling hy husband that I'm very serious about starting a rescue. He's OK with it for a future goal, but now isn't the time. I thought of approaching the people that are doing the rescue I'm volunteering for and seeing if we could work together and expand the current one. We both live on the north side of Houston, but on opposite ends...so we could cover a broader area. We'd still be raising funds for just one rescue, instead of two separate ones. Don't know what anyone else would think about it ~ just an idea I've had.

Anyway, here's good link if you'd like some ideas on how to help out your local rescue:

http://www.sjferret.com/100ways.html

My ferret rescued me....

(photo: George)

DEY CALLZ ME MISTER BONEZ...

2009-03-29T19:51:00.004-05:00

!!!! HE'S EATING !!!!!

Perhaps the Carafate is working and Cupid's tummy is feeling better. Maybe the syringe feedings of DS turned on his hungry switch. Maybe all my prayers are being heard. It doesn't matter...Sensei eats his kibble and mommy is doin' the happy dance! If he keeps it up, perhaps a little padding with form around those bones of his. (New nickname: "Bones")

Here's Ziggy, Rocky and Milo playing in the closet. They think it's a real treat when I let them in there. The view of Rocky is a bit dark, but Ziggy's little face is cute...

CONSIDERING DAVE

2009-03-28T20:56:00.004-05:00

(OK. So, I decided to give someone else some blogtime and give poor Cupid a break...)

Meet my little guy, Dave E. Bear. Dave is Cupid's BFF and is just about the sweetest, most gentle fuzzy ever. I brought Cupid and Dave home from the rescue I volunteer for. At the time, the rescue was getting full and needed some space, so I took them in to foster.

It didn't take long before these two guys stole our hearts (and our socks). As a Christmas gift this past Christmas, I officially adopted Cupid and Dave. It was the best gift ever!

Dave and Cupid came from a home where their owner was a young girl who was leaving for college. The girl's parents didn't want to care for these two, so they were surrendered to the rescue.

Dave is almost 5 years old (approximately) and is a big, beautiful black and white sable. He is a Marshall's ferret and a Gemini :0) . And, Dave is blind. I don't think he was always blind - it must have been a progressive degeneration of some kind. When we first got him, I noticed he slept with his eyes open. Then I noticed he ran into things (poor baby). Now he gets around so well, you'd never even know he couldn't see. He has an amazing nose and can smell Duck Soup a mile away!

Dave E. Bear's favorite things are eating Duck Soup and then sitting in my lap afterwards to wash his hands and feet and stretch. He loves snuggling in one of his favorite sleep spots and snoozing, playing in sacks and slo-mo wrestling with Cupid (seriously, it's funny).

He is learning to tolerate baby Milo's sudden pounces and piggy back rides. When he has to, he can hold his own in a rumble.

Dave is the essence of pure goodness and unconditional love. He is a good sport and is so patient with himself and with others. He is a peaceful little fellow and he had brought so much healing to me.

He is a beautiful boy and I love him deeply !!

CUPID HELPS WITH THE DISHES

2009-03-27T22:01:00.005-05:00

So I took Cupid to see Dr. Dori on Wednesday evening. She spent a lot of time examining him. She told me his lungs sound great, but his spleen is enlarged and hard in one spot. Dr. Dori said it is common to see enlarged and hard spleens in ferrets ~ no one really knows why ~ so it may or may not mean something.

He's lost weight, which I was aware of. His glucose was 71. Dr. Dori still wants to wait until April 13 to repeat Cupid's x-rays. She thought maybe he was having some side effcts to the Lasix, so we reduced the dosage.

It appears that Cupid is improving somewhat. His tummy seems to feel better, although he still isn't eating so great. He gets up and mills around for a few minutes at a time ~ last night he even came in the kitchen and helped me unload the dishwasher!

Anyway, Dr. Dori was awesome. She really eased my mind. I'm doing everything right ~ now it's just a matter of waiting and watching. Hopefully, in a couple more weeks, we will be able to figure out what else is going on with Cupid (besides the insulimoma).

On top of this, Dave got really sick tonight and barfed all over the house. It looked like undigested Duck Soup, so I'm hoping it was just a matter of him overeating. Dave loves to eat.

Ugh --- I am exhausted.

MELTDOWN - PART TWO

2009-03-24T21:26:00.003-05:00

I cried myself to sleep last night and I went to work today feeling incredibly bummed out. Cupid ate very little this morning and he went flat a couple of times before retreating into the community hammock under the bed.

I mentioned to a coworker/friend that I was having a hard time and was feeling useless today. Her only response was, "Ooohhh. And we are really busy today." No empathy or sympathy. No, "I'm so sorry" or a small hug. Just, "we're really busy".

Another coworker made the remark (and this one just blew my mind) that "perhaps I should take Cupid back to the lady (meaning the rescue) I got him from". What??????? Really?????

I don't expect anyone to get it. I'd just appreciate a little kindness around this thing. Shit. Just because Cupid is a ferret and not a dog or cat, people think I'm a freak.

Anyway, he is going to the vet tomorrow. I have an appointment for April 13, but I don't think I should wait. He needs to be looked at, pronto. Hopefully, it's not too late to help him. I did some research again today and I am certain he has a cardiomyopathy. Insulinoma, at this point, is the least of my little buddy's problems. I know they can give meds for heart issues in ferrets. It doesn't reverse anything, but at least they feel better. It's all I can hope for.

MELTDOWN

2009-03-23T23:57:00.004-05:00

It's midnight. I won't be able to sleep until I put this down. I think it won't be much longer until Cupid goes. He seems worse to me tonight. I get the sense that he is just so tired of fighting. And here I am, doing everything to keep him alive....
How far do I take it?.....I don't know.
Before I put him in his cage tonight I held him and told him it's OK...OK for him to go...that I love him and I will always love him.

It's tearing me apart -- I feel so sad and helpless.

Maybe I'm wrong....God, I hope I'm wrong. But it's a strong feeling.

SPRING PHOTOS & CUPID'S ADVENTURE

2009-03-23T13:57:00.013-05:00

Dave gets his Spring Photo done, but, because he is blind, he has a hard time getting the idea about what the heck he's supposed to be doing!! He just cracks me up! I gave him Ferratone and he loves, loves it!

OK, we were a bit more sucessful in the second photo:

Iz dis bettr, Mom?

Yesterday I took Cupid outside to explore the flowerbed. I wish I hadn't cut the top of his head off in this photo, but it's still so cute. He enjoys sniffing around outside, however, we had a Drama Moment when he slipped through a hole in the fence and went into the neighbor's yard!! I called him and he came back to me, thankfully! We won't be doing that again. Must get a playpen for outside romps...Anyway, that was enough excitement, so we came back in the house...

I called the vet this morning because I think Cupid is having an upset tummy. She prescribed some medicine I need to go pick up at the drugstore. He's going to the vet this evening to get his glucose rechecked. I'm thinking I'm going to buy a glucose meter soon, so I can check him at home. Milo is getting his second distemper shot, too. I hate that. I'm such a worrier......

WHATEVER IT TAKES: HEADSTANDING

2009-03-19T22:02:00.019-05:00

Cupid is still fighting to get better. His appetite hasn't improved much, and he's lost a lot of weight. I've tried all kinds of ways to coax him back to his kibble (including moistening it, adding a few drops of Ferretone on the moistened food, putting a little Ferretone on the dry food, mixing Duck Soup with the moistened food, offering dry food with my hand and...putting Dave in the cage with him so Cupid might succumb to peer pressure and eat). No real luck. He only eats a very small amount. So...it's back to Duck Soup three times a day. He eats that pretty good, usually. Sometimes he'll eat just a tiny bit of that, too, before pulling away and wiping his face on the towel and cleaning his feet. If I stand up and walk him around with the bowl, he'll eat a little more.

Whatever it takes. I'll stand on my head for him if it will get him to eat more! :)

He's being such a trooper. He gets scruffed and given three meds twice a day. He endures me waking him up to feed him. He looks a me like I'm crazy when I get all excited when he's awake and walking around. He's a very serious fellow.

The other morning George decided he needed to wrestle Cupid. Cupid put up with it for a while and then found another place to attempt to take a nap. Gotta love that silly George....

UPDATE:

I fed Cupid (he ate good) and put him in his cage for the night. Milo was still out. Before I could get Cupid's cage door shut, he was out, wrangling with Milo ! They chased into hubby's office and continued to wrestle. Milo, of course, was squealing like a mad bunny. I looked in and Cupid was on top of Milo, tail puffed out bigger than I have ever seen. It was hysterical ! My camera was in the other room, so I missed the photo. But it was great to see Cupid be in Sensei mode again !! Yay, Cupid !!

THIS HUMAN NEEDS A NAP

2009-03-15T13:11:00.004-05:00

So far, Cupid is still doing better. He ate enough kibble last night to make a dent in his bowl and leave some "floaties" in his water ! He stayed up and played this morning after his meds and soup. God, it is so good to see him play again and look happy. This is a huge relief ! (We love you, Dr. Dori !!) Cupid still occasionally has a very slight cough, but it is nothing compared to how it was. And he is still sleeping a lot, but that is to be expected. Long naps are not unusual for him, anyway, he loves a good snooze...

I have to say that this ordeal has been exhausting, both mentally and physically. I'm putting a lot of energy into taking care of my sick fuzzy and make sure the others get the attention they need, too. I'm not doing much around taking care of myself, though. I need to find some routine and balance before I end up sick, too. As it is, I'm dealing with a couple of my own health issues. Now that Cupid is much better, perhaps I can relax a little and not totally consume myself with worry and fear.

I'm gonna think like a ferret and take a nap !!

SENSEI NIBBLES KIBBLE !

2009-03-14T14:34:00.006-05:00

Finally, finally...Cupid ate a little bit of his regular food last night ! I am hesitantly encouraged ! I'm going to try taking his Duck Soup feedings down to twice per day, instead of the three times I've been giving. Perhaps he will be more willing to munch on his dry food.

With the insulinoma, I'm going to have to continue to feed him Duck Soup twice a day with his Prednisone. And because his sleeps so much more and is less active, he probably will never pig out. But he needs to get to a place where he is willing to eat and drink on his own.

Neither one of us is ready to give up...

A BETTER DAY

2009-03-13T14:46:00.008-05:00

I've seen an improvement in Cupid over the last day. He started drinking water out of his bowl on his own (EUREKA !!!). He is also up playing some of his favorite games (sack and ball). He seems to be much happier and more comfortable. He's even tolerating baby Milo's pounces and piggy-back rides.

He's taken a couple of tiny bites of his kibble, but I'm still giving him the Duck Soup with Carnivore Care mixed in. This morning he asserted himself and refused to eat the soup, so I don't know if he's finally getting tired of it or he's wanting back on his original schedule. :? I moistened his kibble a little bit before I put him to bed last night and, although it doesn't appear that he touched it, I believe the Lasix has finally started working and he may be on the cusp of getting back to his old self again. (Every night when I put him to bed I say a little prayer that he'll get better!) I'm anxious to get home from work today to see if he ate, and I pray that he did !!

The other five fuzz-guys are just being so sweet with him. They go check on him, cuddle up and sleep with him and groom him. They know their Sensei is feeling bad and it is so moving to see them try to comfort him. (photo below: George is clearly worried about Cupid)

I continue to cherish every moment with Cupid. This is the gift he has given me: Cherish every moment with those I love.....because life is fleeting.

CUPID'S LESSON: BE HERE NOW

2009-03-11T20:58:00.020-05:00

He's at least 6 1/2 years old, perhaps older. One of his canines is broken and he's missing some grooming teeth. His fingers and toes are long and graceful. Sparse silver hairs peer out through a soft, white coat, suggesting he was probably once a silver panda turned dark-eyed-white. He moves slowly and stiffly, preferring sleep to rumbling with the youngsters. His name is Cupid, but we often call him Sensei, because he presents himself as the quiet, patient and wise teacher to the other ferrets. A very mature fellow, Cupid is a man's ferret and isn't down with mushy kisses or those silly games.

Even Rocky, the Alpha, respects this serious and independent guy. And just like the old martial arts master who sits in quiet meditation and sternly (yet lovingly) corrects his students when they become haughty, be assured that Cupid can kick some butt. To see it is pure amazement.

Cupid came to me last August, along with his best friend, Dave. I fostered these two for the rescue I volunteer for and fell in love. For my Christmas gift this past season, I was given the money to adopt Cupid and Dave. It was the best gift ever.

Sensei took to my husband right away and they've become buddies. He loves to play "foot" and steal dirty socks, which he will stash under my husband's desk in his office (I once counted THIRTY socks under there, no kidding). Cupid makes a nest of these socks and naps on them while my husband works at his desk. Thus, another nickname was created: "Cupid, the Sock Nest Monster".

(photo ~ Cupid is caught thieving hubby's sock)

Now, only after six months of having Cupid in our lives, he faces a big illness. Last week he collapsed and spaced out. He couldn't walk. Even though I've not had a situation like this before with any of my ferrets, I'd done enough reading and was taught by my friends at the rescue and I knew this was a sign of low blood sugar. I quickly rubbed a small amount of Karo syrup on his gums and he was better almost immediately.

I took him to the vet the next day and he was diagnosed with insulinoma. They prescribed prednisone to help stabilize his blood glucose. A day or so later, Cupid developed a terrible sounding cough and continued to be very lethargic. His breathing was labored. He stopped eating and drinking on his own and I resorted to hand feeding him Duck Soup and syringe feeding him water and Pedialyte.

We returned to the vet and, although his blood sugar level was good, they did an x-ray which showed fluid around the lungs. They gave him a shot of antibiotic, thinking that Cupid may have pneumonia. At this point I took Cupid to the vet he saw when he was in the rescue. She is an hour away from where I live, but she is vey knowledgeable about ferret medicine and I trust her totally. She read the x-ray I brought to her and told me that Cupid's heart is enlarged and the fluid is both in and around his lungs.

The vet prescribed him Lasix to help get the fluid off of his lungs and an oral antibiotic. She told me that she couldn't tell right now, but Cupid either has heart disease (cardiomyopathy) or lymphosarcoma in his lungs. We won't know until the x-ray is repeated in a few weeks and the fluid is reduced (hopefully).

It's been a day since we started the Lasix and antibiotic and I can tell Cupid is breathing easier and seems to be resting better. I haven't heard any more coughs. He still refuses food and water on his own and I have to coax him with every ounce of charm I have to get him to take it from me. I had a glimmer of hope early this morning when I got up at about 4 am and looked in on him. He was standing in front of his water bowl and he had eaten a few licks of the Duck Soup I'd put in his cage before bed.

When I went to get him up later to give him his meds and food, he was sleeping like a silly ferret: on his back and all twisted with his feet sticking up in the air. I realized that he hasn't slept in that position in a while.

After he ate, he stayed up and played in a sack, stole the insole out of my shoe and played with baby Milo. He seemed more like himself and I was so excited ! But, tonight he is back to the lethargy again. I am very worried.

I'm trying so hard to get him better. I want him to get better. I'm not ready to say goodbye. When I look at him, though, he just seems so tired and weary -- as if he is ready to go.

My heart is broken. Nothing lives on this earth forever. I just want more time with him. Just a little more. And it's important that I cherish every single moment with him now. Cupid teaches me that, all six of my ferrets do. Cupid has a sense of knowing. He told me with a small kiss (but it wasn't a mushy kiss or anything..).

MILO'S STORY

2009-03-01T16:28:00.017-06:00

Milo Mouse came into my life almost four weeks ago. He was the smallest of three ferrets at a local exotic pet store. The owner handed him to me and my heart melted. He was clearly underweight, dirty and had a prolapsed rectum. The cage he shared with the other ferrets was all wire, with no sign of any soft litter for them to walk on.

Milo snuggled close to me and gnawed at my fingers. I fell in love and brought him home. And even though I "bought" him, I knew I was rescuing him from what I felt was a terrible living condition. I am sure he would have gotten very ill or died if left in that cage.

When I brought Milo home, I fixed him up a little cage all his own, with soft blankets and food and water. He attacked the food as if he hadn't eaten in days. He snarfed it all up. I made more. He ate half of that and fell asleep. The next morning, the food bowl was empty again. He ate ravenously like that for several days before slowing down to a normal pace.

I took him to the vet and had him checked over. The vet agreed that Milo was underweight. He also told me the prolapsed rectum was due to coccidia and gave me some medication for Milo. (The man at the pet store told me a prolapse rectum was "normal" for kits. How stupid is that?)

Well, it hasn't taken very long for little Milo Mouse to gain weight and get a cute little ferret tummy. He's growing like a weed and romps and plays with my five other guys just fine. I believe he is deaf, but that is not an issue for such a strong and tuff little kit. He steals toys, runs through tunnels, digs the rice box and attacks my feet with the best of 'em.

Milo is just now figuring out that it is OK to sleep on soft blankets. He tends to sleep on the hardest, coldest surface he can find. I attribute that to the fact he had no soft place to sleep. I'm not certain, but it may be that he was not welcome by the other ferrets in the pet store cage. It makes me so sad to think that perhaps they weren't allowing him to eat or cuddle up with them at naptime.

Milo has brought so much happiness and joy to our home and I am so grateful to have found him! What a beautiful little gift !

PLEASE SAY NO TO INDIVIDUALS "REHOMING" (SELLING) THEIR PETS ON WEBSITES LIKE CRAIG'S LIST. ADOPT FROM YOUR LOCAL SHELTER OR RESCUE!

THANK YOU!

FERRET 101

2009-01-30T13:14:00.018-06:00

There's a lot of great information via books and the internet which cover ferret basics, history, health, behavior, etc. But, since this is a blog about ferrets, it behooves me to put in my own two cents worth.

At first glance, people may think that a ferret is a rodent, like a mouse or hamster. In truth, ferrets are not rodents at all, but carnivores (meat-eaters). They are in the mustelidae family, which they share with the wolverine, sea otter, skunk, weasel and polecat. The domesticated ferret's wild cousin, the black-footed ferret (Mustela nigripes), is one of the world's most endangered species (see pic). It is thought that ferrets were kept as pets in Egypt, even before cats. Pictures drawn on Egyptian tombs depict ferret-like critters being walked on leashes.

The word "ferret" comes from a Latin word, meaning "thief". Thus, they are appropriately named, because they will definitely steal your keys, your wallet, your socks, your spaghetti noodles....and your heart. The official scientific name is Mustela putorius furo, which, loosely translated means "stinky mouse-killing thief". Personally, I prefer to call them "fuzzbutt" or "silly weasel".

This brings me to the "stink factor". Ferrets have scent glands near the anus, which is true of all carnivores. If they are startled or feel threatened, they will release a strong, musky odor, which will dissipate fairly quickly. If a ferret is purchased from a pet store, they will have their scent glands removed. They still have a slight body odor from their skin oils, however, which, again, is no different than Mr. Kitty or Fido. Proper grooming (keeping the ears clean and not bathing them too much), regular washing of their bedding and keeping the litter boxes clean will keep any odor under control. A few of us ferret-lovers happen to like the way their ferrets smell !

Ferrets are actually very clean little critters. I observe mine taking the time to wash their feet and face after they eat. They will use the litter box, newspaper or puppy pads most of the time (but be prepared for a surprise every now and then). Personally, I prefer the use of puppy pads and newspaper, as opposed to litter boxes. I dislike the smell, inconvenience and mess the litter makes and it's a lot easier for me to just pick up the soiled paper and put a clean one down.

A normal healthy ferret will sleep an average of 18 - 20 hours per day, with bursts of activity in the morning and again in the evening. Two or more ferrets will sleep in a pile and they love to burrow in soft, warm, dark places (such as your laundry basket). It's very cute, but ferret owners must quickly learn to check the couch cushions and blanket heaps to avoid a serious ferret injury. Recliners are very dangerous and can crush a ferret.

Ferrets need a minimum of "out-of-cage" time of four hours per day. This means having a ferret-proofed home (think of a two-year-old that can climb and squeeze behind the refrigerator). Unless you have an entire room you can devote to your ferrets and allow them to run around, forget having House Beautiful. The decor will be more of the tubing, cardboard box, jingle ball motif. Put your antique tea pot your grandmother gave you in the china cabinet and not on the coffee table. If you don't want little ferret teeth marks in your new Nikes, put 'em in the closet. My fuzzbutts love candles, and will chew the wax. It's been a learning curve, but now I've learned to think like a ferret. The few candles I now have are out of reach.

The cage your ferret lives in (when not out) needs to be large enough for him to move around comfortably. It should have a hammock, sleep sack and soft blankets, a water bottle and crock, food bowl and litter area. Purchase a cage made specifically for ferrets. There are a variety of quality ferret cages available in a broad price range.

Ferrets make fun, loving and loyal pets. But they aren't for everybody. They need the attention and care just like a dog or cat. They can make you laugh or push your patience. The key to finding the best pet for you is knowledge. Do your research so that you and your pet will have a long and happy relationship.

REMEMBER!! PLEASE DO NOT SUPPORT INDIVIDUALS WHO CHARGE "REHOMING FEES" FOR THEIR UNWANTED PETS! SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL SHELTER OR RESCUE!

REHOMING FEES: THE NEW TERM FOR "FOR SALE"?

2009-01-29T20:23:00.013-06:00

A Typical Scenerio:

I walk into a local pet store with my 5-year-old in tow. We pick up some Iams and some catnip for Fluffy, the cat. As we are headed to the register, we pass by a large tank with these adorable little critters wrestling comically. A couple of them are asleep, one piled on top of the other in the cutest position.

My 5-year-old and I both are mesmerized. A sales person wanders by and begins to answer a few of our questions. Yes, they are ferrets. Oh, no, they are quite friendly and inquisitive. Easy to care for? Of course, no problems. They sleep most of the time. Sure, they can be litter trained. As a matter fact, yes, they are on sale. And we have these cages over here....

My 5-year-old is jumping up and down, begging me for the odd little animal. My child is brighter and much more mature than most 5-year-olds and we did promise him we'd get him a guinea pig for his birthday. He wants the ferret, instead, so why not give him what he wants?

Only twenty minutes later, we are headed out to the minivan, my 5-year-old skipping and singing happily behind me as I push the shopping cart loaded with one baby ferret, a large box with an "easy-to-assemble" ferret cage, some food, treats, a brush, a collar and leash, a couple of toys, a sleep hammock, water bottle, food crock, litter pan, litter, ferret vitamins and some coat conditioner. The clerk suggested this book about ferrets, but I don't have a lot of time to read, being the mom of a small child and all ~ I am very busy. Besides, the sales clerk answered all my questions. And I did just hand over my credit card for $ 346.27. I'm not spending an extra $20 on a book I don't think I need...

We get home and I put my now cranky 5-year-old down for a nap and proceed to put the cage together. Several hours later, our new little fuzzy is all settled in his home. My 5-year-old names him Bandit. Everyone is so happy. Except the cat, who is pouting with jealousy. I clean my purse out later and take a quick glance at the paperwork the pet store gave me when we purchased Bandit. Oh, it's just the information the clerk already told me. I don't need this. I trash the paperwork. I don't notice it told me that ferrets need distemper vaccines, just like dogs or cats. I don't read the part about how I must ferret-proof my home and supervise my 5-year-old when he plays with Bandit.

It's six months later. My husband is working overtime and I'm doing my best to keep the house in order. My child has dropped the ferret a couple of times. Thank God they are agile. He also keeps leaving the cage door open and the ferret gets loose. One night we thought we'd lost him for good. Oh, and there's the smell. My husband is really complaining about that. I can't help it, the darn ferret won't always go to the litter box and I'm finding poop everywhere. It's just too much for me to deal with.

Bandit is very sweet and loving and so cute. But I'm so worried my kid is going to let him out. I'm tired of hearing my husband complain about the smell. And, you know, I am just too busy to take care of him. Yes, I think it's time to rehome him. But, oh, I don't want just anyone to take him. Bandit must go to a good home. (And I need to recover some of my costs --- I mean look at how much money I've spent on this animal !)

~~~~***~~~~

Except for the last line, this is just one of a kazillion stories I read and hear constantly. People acquire a ferret on some spur-of-the-moment whim, falling in love with the fur and nose and little cute ears. They do no research. They don't think. The sales people in the pet stores are there to do one thing: sell. They are not going to tell the potential buyer that it takes about $600-$800/ year to care for a ferret. They don't mention the potential emergency vet bill that could add up to as much as $ 1200 if the ferret gets ill. In fact, they don't mention vet bills at all, which include distemper and rabies vaccines. And heartworm preventative. So, rarely, the ferret owner doesn't take the ferret to the vet. They never get their shots.

The ferret owner discovers how quick these little guys move and how smart they are. They jump up on the coffee table and knock over the crystal vase holding fresh roses and water. They burrow in the clean laundry and sleep. They shed. They poop in corners. Even letter box trained, they will choose to poo in other spots, because it's fun. They will steal your wallet and hide it under the bed.

And now the ferret owner realizes they didn't know that ferrets were so _________ (fill in the blank). So they feign giving a s**t and put the poor little animal up on Craigs List (or similar 'sell your stuff ' site), giving some ridiculous "poor me" story, saying they want to "ensure a good home" for their pet. And they charge their "small rehoming fee" of $ 250 or $ 175 or $ 100....and they think that's OK.

Tell me: What is OK about irresponsibility? What is OK about refusing to educate yourself and really thinking about the commitment you are about to make to a living, helpless creature? Why is it OK to expect me to save you from that responsibility by taking on your animal you no longer want and expect me to pay you ??? If anything, you should pay me for getting you off the hook. You should pay me to cover the shots you never got, the heartworm preventative you never administered. You should pay me for my willingness to love and care for the poor little ferret who never asked to go home with you in the first place.

There are shelters and rescues who devote their lives and resources to the care of ferrets. They get vet care, medicines and good food. Volunteers spend time, funds and energy to help. The shelters and rescues will charge an adoption fee, which rarely even covers what expense is put in to care for these animals.

Individuals who try to dump there pet and make a buck cannot even be compared to a rescue. Their "rehoming fee" is a way of scamming animal lovers into giving them money. Don't do it. Go to a rescue or shelter. But, please, do your research. Look for information. Ask questions of people who are experienced with the animal you are interested in.

SAY NO TO REHOMING FEES & INDIVIDUALS SELLING THEIR PETS !!