Over the few years I have been owned by ferrets, I have seen an oft asked
question: Do ferrets have a sense of belonging, in the human sense?
 
I have never really given it much thought, as we all know, ferrets are
such independent little critters.  I have observed jealousy in my
Tuzigoot, anger in my Bancho, and temper tantrums in Snorkle, but...
a sense of belonging.....hmmmmmm.
 
Well, this past week, I believe the beginnings of an answer became very
clear to me....Twice!
 
I was gone for 5 days, camping in the wild (I only saw 4 other people
the whole 5 days!) interior of Nevada!  My daughter was the official
weasel watcher in my absence, as she and her significant other only live
2 1/2 blocks away.  Because she grew up with ferrets in the house, she
is right at home, administering to the Brat Pack.
 
When I returned home, the first thing I did, was to head for the ferret
room and check on my babies.  Welp....quite simply, I was mobbed!  They
actually tried climbing up into my arms to get my attention!  Even Mr.
Reserved, Bancho, who ALWAYS hangs back and cautiously approaches, was
fighting the other three for his attention.  I was covered with kisses,
nips, and vocal exchanges (In the form of hisses, squeaks, and small,
sharp barks)  I was, to put it mildly, flabbergasted!  And, now that a
week has passed, Bancho is STILL first to greet me when I come into the
room...never, in the 2 years he has lived with me, has he ever exhibited
this behavior.  (Oh..once he came to me, he loved to be held and would
burrow right in to my shoulder and stay there until put down...but he
never asked to be picked up.  Now he does!)
 
Yes, gentle readers, I now have seen first hand, that ferrets have a
sense of belonging!  (Again, in the human sense!)
 
Then, another social exhibition was displayed.  My Snorkle, an adrenal
boy, was afflicted with a blocked urethra, which necessitated a 3 day
stay at the vet's.  (He is recovering nicely, BTW)  During those 3 days,
the 3 remaining Brat Pack members searched the room and house, high and
low, for the missing Snorkle.  They were highly agitated that they
couldn't find him.
 
When Snork finally came home, he too was mobbed, but this time, in a
caring manner.  Artie's first bonding when he came into the household, was
with Snork, and that bond is still evident.  Artie spent the first couple
of hours grooming Snork.  Bancho would come over every two minutes and
bump noses with Snork, and Tuzi would not venture more than a couple of
feet from where ever Snork was, circling and checking up on him.
 
This behavior also astonished me, as I had never seen it before, only
having heard about some folks' busyness displaying these clan
behaviorism's.
 
I am truly blessed to be a part of the Brat Pack.  I was greeted as a
long lost friend and I was included in their reinforcement of support
for a sick member of the Pack.
 
What more could I ask for?
 
For our ferrets
 
MC, The Rude One
(With Snorkle, Tuzigoot, Bancho, and Artemus.  In spirit, Bubba,
Billy-Bob, and Garret)
[Posted in FML issue 3845]