Ah, my ferrets! They are:

Robert, Mr #1, of the dishwasher-prong fame. Robert Bo-Bobert. A masked
sweetheart who comes to a whistle and is interested in a wider range of
foods than anyone else in the biz. Beautiful beautiful black feet and
legs. A gentle soul. Likes to escape, but comes to see what I am doing.
He's almost 2 years old. He likes to lie on his back in my arms. A real
mellow fellow. Loves his naps.

Rico the mostly EX-biter. Quite the man -- sleek and alert, a sable
with a white bib and white feet. Always exploring, often trying to
escape, sometimes succeeds, waltzes in again through one or another of
the cat or dog doors. Whew! What a relief. One night CRASH! There he
was on my bureau. Kncked over a vase. Rico! Tonight he was nuzzling
up around the elastic on my sweat pants. Rico! I thought you'd given
that lickLickChomp thing up! Lemme give you a kiss.

Robert and Rico are bonded. They are my first ferrets and came home
with me together. I had read about how difficut ferts are as pets, but
I took the chance once I had backup -- a new ferret-savvy friend (made
right there in the pet store) said she would love to have them if I
couldn't handle it. The first time they hid behind the waher and dryer
and I was sure they had gone down to the creek to be eaten alive she
came over to help me look.

Ada, the blue eyed white, darling mami. Lots of eye contact from Ada!
The softest fur in the universe. Ada-Bo-Bayda, Lady Ada. Ms busy!
Always making her escapes too -- Oh! she says. What fun to run into the
laundry/dog room, grab a piece of dog kibble and zip behind the washing
machine. Sometimes I climb up into the washing machine like Rico taught
me. Once I got out the dog door and spent the night outside. I met one
of my sort-of relatives under the house and I got skunked.... So I came
back inside. My mother was so glad to see me when I peeped out from
behind the washer in the morning. All my buddies thought I smelled
verry interesting, and I did.

Tina, the runtling. Another case of too young to be shipped, but the
petstore nursed her and she is an A-OK little woman. Scraps with the
big boys now like everyone else. Tina is a chocolate with a little
widow's peak which makes her look puzzzzled, but in her quiet way she
is quite sure of what's what. Stands up to be picked up. Climbs up to
see what's up there. A shoulder rider. Tina Weena.

I got Ada and Tina together a month or two after Robert and Rico, and
they will be 2 yrs old in abt Jan.

Artie, the big grey guy. I couldn't resist his little arched neck. He
is Mr Alpha, and right now is working hard to keep it that way as two
youngsters in the pack, Jonas and Eric, gain and gain and gain weight.
Still, Mr Artie at 3+ lbs tops them. And, Artie is never vicious in all
his battles for dominance -- Artie the mensch. He stands up and puts
his front feet on my shin to be picked up -- not to cuddle, but so he
can see what is up in the air. Then he wants DOWN, But back he comes,
right away, standing there again -- pick me up! Artie is about a yer
and a half old.

Raoul, the dusty-orange kitten, slept with Artie in the pan drawer at
the bottom of the stove when he first arrived -- they were about the
same size then. The ferrets were Raoul's first friends here because the
existing cat, Andy The Great, hated Raoul when he arrived (of course),
and the dogs were afraid of Raoul, having been cowed by Andy. Now all
the cats and dogs get along and everyone loves, likes, or tolerates the
weasles.

Welll, that is half of my 10-member business, and it is coming on 4 AM
here. Next time I write it will be Part 2 of "Who are your ferrets?"
for me. Good night!

P.S., All of those first five are Marshall ferrets.

P.P.S, Oh, do I love them.

[Posted in FML 5430]