Call me slow if you want.... but after all these years I finally worked
out what Rhoobarb was about with her stealth biting of me... She was
telling me she was Alpha, Bubbles had performed his first ferret training
of me so well, that she saw me as a big pink (albeit strangely shaped)
weezil, and as one of the "crew" she felt I should be fully aware of her
status as Alpha.
 
Yesterday she bit me for the first time in ages, it was a chomp which she
held for about 20 seconds while she stared at me very intently with those
dark piercing eyes, then when she released me she carried on staring,
almost daring me to retaliate... not that I would.
 
I had assumed it was all down to the mishandling that she and her sister
Custard had endured in thier previous home, where they were kept in a
filthy hutch in a partly glazed greenhouse, indeed when I collected the
twins, they were brought out to me with one of them wedged under the guys
elbow, something that made me really angry at the time.
 
The shame is I only realised this yesterday, as I reached into the
carrier to get her out for a cuddle while we waited to see if the vet
could help her with her sudden breathing difficulties, my Li'l
biteyweezil had been a little quieter of late, indeed they all have, I
think the heat has been getting to them a little.... but I noticed
Thursday evening that my little old lady wasnt in her usual place stood
up on her hind legs against the spare tower unit waiting to be fed pieces
of kibble (and if she was lucky some roast chukkie), nope she was stood
on the floor giving me a rather old fashioned stare, so I though that she
could be excersizing her right as a female to change her mind..... or at
least her dining habits.  Either way I felt it was something that needed
to be watched.
 
On Friday evening, I realised with a sinking feeling in my stomach that
she wasnt breathing too well, and her appetite wasnt what it usually was,
she was drinking well, especially ferretoned water!.  Saturday Morning I
called the vet and we were tagged on at the end of the Saturday morning
surgery.... the fact that she wasnt interested in breakfast... even her
favourite roast chukkie, was another ominous sign.
 
So here we are back at my belated realisation.  The vet found that she
had developed an erratic heartbeat and had fluid on her lungs, The exact
diagnosis was that she was deveopling heart failure, and that now would
be a good time to allow her to pass with dignity, she was weak, tired
and proving to me that no matter how much we try, you cant buck old
age.  Rhoobarb passed peacfully in her daddies arms as she supped neat
ferretone, Hopefully whoever is on greeting duty at the bridge will be
able to reuinte her with her twin sister Custard and former crew mates
Skweek and Bubbles.  Today the remaining piece of cooked chicken breast
still sitting in the fridge seems a little forlorn, Im going to share it
out amongst her crewmates tonight..  At least we had time to have our
chat about the Rainbow Bridge and what she was to say to the others when
she gets there.
 
Chunky and Princess Lily dont seem to have missed her much, but Ollie
seems a little confused by her leaving I think despite her having put
him firmly in his place when he arrived here (she took on the alpha
role when Bubbles left us) He had a big soft spot for her and they could
often be found snuggled down together.
 
Yes she had a good long life compared to some others, as far as we know
she was over 7 years old, and never had a day of sickness while she was
here with me.  She was the last member of the original Furkid Four, so
there is an additional wrench for me, Its like closing a book.  Im sure
the 3 youngsters she leaves behind will always remember her, especially
Ollie who ran foul of her on his first day here and was put permanently
in her place, I know I will carry souveniers of her for a while yet!
 
farewell my little old lady, I will miss your little icecube nose, and
having to keep my feet off of the floor when you were around
 
Cris (& Unkie Lee - reserve Hooman)
Chunkie, Ollie and Princess Lily
 
Remembering
Bubbles (da warweezil) First Ferret par excellence - leader of the Furkids
Skweek  (Skweekyweezil) Daddys little earwashing girl
Custard  (Cussieangelweezil) Little Joker and Snuggleferret
Rhoobarb (Biteyweezil) Stealth mode attack Ferret and all round
disciplinarian
[Posted in FML issue 5327]