It is funny how much difference one little ferret can make, even when
there are many others around.
 
It is one week now since Mosby crossed over the Bridge.  And, with each
day, I find something that reminds me that he is no longer here with us.
 
Probably the biggest reminder is the toy basket.  We have a large basket
that sits on the hearth in the living room, where I put all the ferret
toys.  Mosby loved stuffed toys, and I have a number of the small Booda
terry stuffed toys for the ferrets to play with.  Each day, when Mo's cage
group had their play time, Mo would go to the toy basket and dig through
all the toys looking for his stuffed ones, and he would take them to his
favorite sleep spots.  When it came time for him to go back to his cage,
I would always find him curled up with some of these toys, whether he was
in the ferret tower, a sleep sack, or one of the ferret tents.  Each
night, after all the ferrets are locked safely in their cages, I collect
most of the toys, and return them to the basket, and we do it all again
the next day.
 
Even as Mo became sick, he would still struggle to get his toys out, and
up until the last day, he was found sleeping with them.  This last week,
although many of the other toys find their way out of the basket, most
of the stuffed Booda toys have remained in it.  At night, I find I am
collecting balls and bell toys, but very few stuffed toys.  It feels
very odd.
 
Someone else in our house also is missing Mo.  Kokopelli, one of his
cagemates, has been very depressed.  Mo and Pelli were the same age, and
have been best of friends since Pelli joined our family, almost 6 years
ago.  Unfortunately, the other ferret that remains in that cage group,
Hershey, has never been one to play with ferrets, and so he is not much
company for Pelli.  Also unfortunately, Pelli does not like other ferrets.
He has never gotten along with any ferrets other then his cagemates.  It
is sad to see him looking so lost right now.  I am planning on trying to
integrate someone from one of the other cages groups in with him, but I
know it is going to take some time.  Until then, I am just giving him
extra love and attention.
 
Danee
ADV - If your ferret hasn't been tested, you don't know!
For more information visit  http://www.geocities.com/russiansmom
[Posted in FML issue 3832]