>The question is this: What exactly is it about ferrets that grab hold
>of your heart and never let go??  [...] Why do you spend so much time
>laughing at them and grieving for them and worrying about them?
 
I have, or have had, most every kind of common pet.  My current residents
include dogs, cat, ferrets, birds (finches, 'tiels, small parrots, mini
macaw), monitors, snake, lizards, turtles, fish, frogs, rodents, rabbits,
sheep, etc.  I definitely see the ferrets differently, and I think there
are several reasons why.
 
For me personally, I recognize the uniqueness of ferrets in that I can be
absolutely certain they have a good quality of life in captivity.  With
birds and rodents and reptiles, you are forever trying to mimic what
would be an ideal environment for them, and usually don't come close.  I
don't try to make my ferrets' life similar to what it would be if they
were wild, except for providing enrichment, because they _enjoy_ the way
humans live.  They are quite content with A/C and heating, deionized
water, hollowed couches in place of dirt dens, hammocks to curl up in,
water dishes instead of streams, and little toys with bells in them.
They always look happy, and every time they wake up, they make it clear
that life is great and they like where they live.  Most pets (hamsters,
reptiles, birds) dislike living in a cage, and it's rare for them to
reach any level of contentment with their substitute environment.
 
An entomology professor of mine once lectured how our perspective of a
species was directly related to it's likeness to us.  I suppose that
could apply to ferrets, too.  First, they have more of the physical
traits that appeal to our baby-instincts (such as disporportionately
large heads and large black eyes), but they also have a very familiar and
tolerable personality.  When a bird finds a new object, it will determine
if its food, and otherwise shred it (presumably to test beak strength?
lol), which makes people see them as less intelligent and as having less
thought and personality.  If a ferret finds something new, it will
promptly stash it, because you just never know when it might come in
handy.  That's cute, and even if it's an entirely instinct-based food
storage behavior, it sure _looks_ like they're thinking the way we do.
 
Kara (and 20--omg, did I say 20?!--ferrets)
[Posted in FML issue 3897]