MISTY'S FIRST NIGHT AS A FRISKIE

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!

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!!

WORLD WAR FERRET

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.

WHATEVER IT TAKES: HEADSTANDING

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 !!