>From:    Ulrike <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: Ferret emotions
>
>I strongly believe that ferrets feel and show emotions. I have seen
>it over the years and see it every day, how deeply some ferrets bond
>amongst one another and how deeply some have bonded to me. I see their
>happiness. I have seen sad and frightened ferrets. I believe some
>ferrets will grieve when they loose a companion even though mine have
>always been okay. But I can't believe that a ferret can reason to the
>extent that it thinks "my owners have dumped me, and I don't want to
>go on". If that was the case, how would they distinguish between
>being dumped or left somewhere while the owners go on holiday? Just
>wondering...

First, I find myself strangely relieved that others have carried around
a despairing ferret - romancing as one person said- and that they feel
they cannot get rid of said ferret once it has rebonded. At least I no
longer feel so alone or- Well, crazy. I may not have particularly
*wanted* Sarah or Lizzie, but I will be damned if I- as someone said-
break their hearts again.

Now as to how the ferret would know about vacations... I have no idea.
Perhaps what was said to the ferret. Perhaps because going on vacation
is not as long. I think that most ferrets may wait and wait, but once
it becomes obvious hat their human is not coming back, *that's* when
they start to decline.

anne

[Posted in FML 5511]