O MY ZIGGY...

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......

OH, MY ZIGGY...

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....

IT'S A FERRET'S LIFE

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....

THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING ORNERY

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????!

AS THE POO FLIES

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!!

IT'S A MOM THING....

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!

BEAR WARS

.

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

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

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.

ZIGGY THIEVES THE NAPKINS and other random babblings

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.

OH, MY ZIGGY...

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...