I've read what people have written but I like calling them the DMK
kids. They are distinctive and DO stand out from the rest.

October 27, 2007 ...

It's been one month since 21 DMK ferrets made their way to Grand
Rapids, MI. It's been an incredible amount of work but the experience
has been fascinating and extremely rewarding. They have all blossomed
in 30 days ...... what a transformation. I find it so cool that I can
say the ones that are together are really litter mates and not just
cagemates or shipment mates.

I read Bob Church's comments on Sampson .... " Sampson's physical
condition masks his mental state, which I consider evidence of a lack
of human socialization, and perhaps a prolonged lack of mental health.
He is extremely fearful of handling, easily frightened, cowers and
hides, walks next to walls or under objects, and will not play bite me.
It breaks my heart to see him shy away from people. He just does not
act like a normal ferret. It is clear to me that -- regardless of the
cost and difficultly -- this rescue was justified and ethically
important." and I concur. This rescue was indeed justified and
ethically important. Well written, Bob, as usual.

The ferrets here are all young, with the exception of Honey Bear, a 4
year old (approx) black sable hob. He is so sweet and gentle. He has
been spoken for and will be going to his new home as soon as he is
neutered (scheduled for November 6). Lyndy and Grissom went to their
new home in Holland (MI) to live with Reanee Gladden. Ranger and Golden
Boy are living with Kim Schilling in Illinois.

Cage #1 is a brother & sister, both champagnes. Brother has been like
Sampson in that he was fearful of handling and easily frightened.
Sister is fine. Brother actually barked!!! I accidentally dropped a
black drainage pipe in his playpen & frightened him so bad, he barked
twice.

Cage # 2 is 2 black sable brothers. They came in with their mom and
sister but mom came out a couple of days after they got here. I named
her Misty. She's a tiny black sable problem child who cowers and hides.
She's nailed me a couple of times and just got Rose this week. Little
black sable sister was with her brothers until I discovered her running
around the garage one morning. She's a little stinker who manages to go
thru the bars of the Midwest cage and the playpens. She is now in Cage
2A. I still let her out to play with her brothers every day and she's
willing to stay in but if she gets bored, out she scoots.

Cage 3 contains my "cow kids", a brother & sister. They look like
little cows to me with their spotted bellies & their little cow
faces. They have chewed up 2 hammies so far so this week I changed
to a hanging cube. We'll see what it looks like next week.

Cage 4 are 2 dark champagne brothers. They have very nice temperaments.
Good boys. Their coats aren't as beautiful as the rest but they are
sweet boys.

Cage 5 is a little wild child I've decided to keep 
. I named him DQ
after my favorite, Dairy Queen. He caught my attention when he stood
against the wire hutch watching me watering ferrets at Lori's 2nd site
by the river. The light wasn't good and I thought he was a pregnant
little girl. I could see this dark gray ferret with white spots on its
tummy. When I finally picked him up, there was his "belly button". He's
wiggly, he's feisty and he has this "Exorcist" thing going on with his
head when you hold him.

Cage 6 is 2 beautiful little champagne sisters. They must be sisters to
the 2 champagne brothers because they have good temperaments, too. The
consensus over the MFF Faire weekend was Sister #3 is pregnant (or a
false pregnancy) so she's been sequestered to my sewing room. Everybody
around here is excited over the possibility of a litter. Babies for
Christmas??? I've named her Lady Galadriel from Lord of the Rings. She
is so creamy white and tiny that for some reason that name immediately
came to mind.

Cage 7 are "my girls". These are 2 black sable sisters who caught my
attention at Lorie's. They were in a "normal" cage at the 2nd site and
every time I walked past them, they were alert and perky like they were
just waiting for me to take them. It was like the pictures you see of
puppies at the pound. I couldn't resist them. They are sooooo pretty.

Cage 8 is Honey Bear, a 4 year old (approx). He's a cuddler with a face
that just melts your heart. He is the first one going in to be neutered


 on Election Day.

They are thriving on Totally Ferret. YEA!!! When they first got here,
there seemed to more food digging than eating but it's not so bad now.

They adapted well to wood pellets and litter boxes in their cages......
not so good about litter boxes in the playpens.

I ran short on hammies so I improvised with baby blankets. Take a baby
blanket, fold 2 sides to the center & sew. That becomes the outside.
Take a long side & fold 3/4 of the way to the other end. Put 4" elastic
strips on all 4 corners. Sew. Viola!! Quick & easy.

I'm so proud I was able to be part of this. Thank you, Lori.

Dee Gage
West Michigan Ferret Connection

[Posted in FML 5774]