I adopted a new baby ferret today.  I did not set out to adopt a new
baby, but fate has a way of stepping in when one is needed most.
 
This morning I got up early to take my elderly cocker spaniel (she is
17,) and my tea cup poodle (who is 4) to their beauty appointments.  The
groomer is about an hour drive from my home.  Since I was in the big
city, I decided to stop by my parents home and take my father to
breakfast.  After breakfast he said he wanted to buy 2 new catfish for
his fish tank.  I had time to kill so I agreed to take him shopping for
his new fish.  Big mistake, we drove to 3 different pet shops to see
which shop had the cheapest price (yup-you guessed it, the first shop we
went too that was the cheapest...lol.)
 
At the 3rd pet store I heard a weird faint cry.  I looked down and it was
a baby ferret.  I have had ferrets for many years, & rescued countless,
but I have never heard a cry like this.  He is tiny, my guess he was the
runt of his litter, or more likely barely 6-7 weeks old.  Kind of
resembles a sable mitt.  I asked the store clerk to allow me to hold him.
The clerk informed me they got 5 baby ferrets in this week, and he was
the last one.  When I picked him up he tried to suck my fingers, then
gently began biting them.
 
They had hard dry food in the cage and a full water bottle.  I politely
educated the assistant store manager of the proper way to feed kits.  I
asked how old he was, and was told 8 weeks.  I said no way.  Anyway,
after a half hour discussion & education session, the assistant manager
offered me a good deal if I adopted him.  **Before anyone gets angry, I
did weigh the argument buying from a pet store versus adopting from a
shelter.  In this case, I felt the baby would have a better chance of
surviving if I brought him home with me.
 
I picked up my dogs and held fuzzbutt in my lap almost the entire way
home.  He slept soundly with his head resting on my lap.
 
I came home and fed him Marshall Farms food (what he was weaned on) with
a couple drop of Ferretone & ferretvite mixed in.  I also added a few
pieces of Totally Ferret to being slowly transitioning him to that food.
After I showed him his food, and hand feed him he climbed into his new
sleep sack, and went sound to sleep.
 
No name yet, but we have plenty of time to figure out one for him.  I am
going to call the vet tomorrow to make his first appointment for 2 weeks
from now.  I want to give him a week to get use to me and my home.  He
has had many changes in his young life.
 
Just wanted to share,
 
Brian.
[Posted in FML issue 4632]