BAILEY UPDATE UPDATE

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.

A FERRET NAMED BUDDY

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...

STOPPING THE BLEEDING

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!

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!

IT'S A GIRL!

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

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!

DESIRES VS. PRIORITES

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

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

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

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!