Leo is a very energetic 2-3 yr old boy.  From what I know of his history,
which isn't much, Leo and his companion Sully wer kept in a closet by
teens that were hiding them from their parents.  Then they went to
another family when the parents found out.  Then Leo was separated from
his companion and turned into the dog/cat animal shelter because he
was a biter.  At the animal shelter Leo bit one of the workers and was
quarantined.  What no one realized is that Leo is deaf.  I picked Leo up
from the animal shelter after his 10 day quarantine.  A couple months
later, the people that had Sully wanted to find a new home for him.
Sully came to live with us so Leo and Sully were reunited.  When the
people arrived with Sully, Leo layed contently in my arms, though his
eyes clearly showed the fear of thinking he would be moved once again.  I
assured him he wouldn't.  The people got to pet him without being bitten
for the first time.  They couldn't believe how calm he was.  I thought
it would be a wonderful reunion, but nooooo.  Leo followed Sully around
the house for a few hours then would have nothing good to do with Sully.
Both boys are equally matched in temperment, activity levels, size, and
pestering abilities.  At first they fought whenever they'd run into each
other, but through time they have progressed to tolerating each other
living in the same house.
 
The other evening Leo was being his usual pesty self and bothering one
of the screaming girls.  Certain girls have a squeaky scream when they
get pestered, and Leo, who is deaf, seems to favor these types.  Anyway,
Leo was pestering Dragon, rolling and leaping on her, and she was making
that ear piercing screaming sound that she does so well.  I followed
her screams and as I entered the front bedroom Leo was too intent on
pestering to notice me, that was until I was looming over him.  For just
a moment he stopped, looked up, eyes wide, and then in a flash he ducked
into the tube, popped out the other side, zoomed down the hallway into
the back bedroom under the buffet, with me hot on his tail but not quite
close enough to catch him.  He circled the room just barely out of my
reach and zoomed under a cage.  At that point I shook my head in defeat
and walked back to the living room to resume my previous activity.  At
least I got his mind off pestering Dragon.
 
And just a minute later who should appear?  Leo walked slowly into the
living room, headed straight for his time-out cage, walked up the ramp,
climbed in the hammock, and looked over at me....
 
He knows the drill well.
 
hugs. tle
www.ferretfamilyservices.org
[Posted in FML issue 5196]