Hello all!
 
First I want to say a HUGE thank you to SOS for creating and running the
Buck-a-Month Club.  I would also like to thank all of those that are
supporting the club.  If you don't know what it is and would like more
information, please check out their website at:
http://bam.supportourshelters.org
 
The Ferrets on the Loose Picnic and Fund raiser was a blast!  I would like
to thank all of those who attended this past Sunday.  I would also like to
thank Mary Jo and Rich for donating items to sell...and for always being
there to help support us (Mary Jo and Rich were the judges again for the
Cutest Ferret/Best in Show-----THANKS!).  Ginny from Ferret Friends
Shelter in Tucson....thank you for donating the trophies and for coming
to the event.  We had a total of 15 ferrets there and I believe that by
the end of the day they were all worn out from playing games and with
each other.  If you missed this picnic, don't worry, we will have another
one in November.  If you have items that you would like to donate to the
shelter please email me.
 
After returning from the picnic and packing everything back up we let the
ferrets out.  Spice, Pepper, Dodge, Kuri and Bugs all went in the back
half of the house while the new kit and the shelter kids were up front.
The house is pretty well ferret proofed.
 
About 20 minutes later, Shawn and I went into the office (back half of the
house) to find that one of the ferrets knocked the CD's out of the rack
that we have.  They do this ALL of the time and it is no big deal, we just
put the CDs back up.  Well, Shawn laughed and said "well we know who did
it" because Pepper was laying in the rack.  I had that sinking feeling.
I reached down to get her out...hoping that she had just fallen asleep....
and she didn't move.  I knew right then she was stuck.  I pulled the rack
and all of the CDs on the top came crashing on me....but I didn't care.
When I moved it she moved...she was alive!  She came out and all she
wanted to do was run and play!  I held her for a second and then Shawn
took her to check her out.  Her mouth was wet from "foaming at the mouth".
But she was ok.  No swelling, no signs of problems.  (there was a small
gap in the back of the CD rack where it doesn't sit flush against the wall
because of the baseboard on the floor...that is where she got stuck)
 
After Shawn let her down she ran to the food bowl to eat (the girl loves
to eat).
 
Well, needless to say, the CD rack is now gone.  While I was clearing the
CDs from the rack we found out why Pepper wanted back there.  Next to the
rack was a power supply for Shawns Macintosh computer.  It is a round
shape.  She wanted it.  She grabbed it and tried to run into the closet
with it!
 
Later, Pepper fell asleep under the bed (with the other gang in the back)
but I had to pull her out and hold her while she slept until I went to
bed.  I kept rubbing her neck and checking her over to make sure she was
ok.  I also checked her this morning when we got up.  She is fine.
 
Oh my goodness!  I don't know what I would have done if something had
happened.  Mary Jo and I were just talking about accidents at the picnic.
Pepper is MY first ferret.  I adopted her from the shelter in August.  I
cried last night thinking about what COULD have happened.  And then
thanked the Lord that it didn't.  I am truly blessed.
 
So, to the person on the FML who said that us nincompoops who cage their
ferrets are bad....well, if I hadn't been home....Pepper would have been
dead.  I cage them at night and when I am gone.  I do it because accidents
will happen.  To those people who have free roamers...I don't mean
anything bad by this to you.  I just couldn't do it.  I am a worry wart.
I worry about "did I lock the cage?" "did I put them all up?" "what
happens if the house burns down?" "did I remember to check their water?"
I worry about everything with them cause I understand that they cannot
take care of themselves.  I am responsible for what happens to them.  I
know accidents will happen....I just don't want them to.  I was home when
this happened and luckily found her in time to help her.
 
Joanne
Spice, Pepper, Bugs, Dodge, Kuri, Chocolate
[Posted in FML issue 3754]