Hey guys,
I still have yet to determine if I have sucker written across my face,
but I just couldn't leave this guy be. I stopped into my local pet
store here on St. Thomas, which usually has very little if anything
ferret related, in the hopes of uncovering a bottle of Ferretone. This
is the same pet store that I got my two St. Thomian fuzzies, Munchkin
and Tucker, two years ago. When I bought them, they were being kept
outside in less than optimal conditions, but they appeared to be
healthy. So I walk into this pet store and see that every cage is clean
with food, water, and apparently healthy animals. Until I come to this
tiny carrier towards the back of the store. I look inside and amidst
the inch+ of feces, the empty food bowl, and the bone dry water bottle,
is a yellow ferret curled in the back. Immediately, I am apalled and
ask the woman (as nicely as possible) if I can hold it. She responds
"It will probably bite". No kidding. I would too if I was kept in
those conditions, by myself, with little interaction and no sustenance.
But to my surprise, it came running up to me and gave me kisses. He
(definitely a boy) was overall healthy, and had I not seen the carrier
for myself, I would have sad he was well-kept. Very strange. My only
thought is that maybe only a few people there know how to take care of
him, or were scared of him. Anyway, knowing I could not bring this
ferret home, I asked if she could feed and water him. Her response
(brace yourselves): "I'll go get him some chicken jerky." <SCREECHING
BRAKES IN MY HEAD> "What? He needs ferret food."....
Response: "we don't have any...we're waiting on a shipment."
Here are my options:
1. Drive home, get litter box, hammock, ferret food (enough for week)
and teach this woman how to care for ferret.
2. Risk my relationship with my boyfriend and bring ferret home.
Guess which one I choose...After a lengthy "Discussion" with BF over
the phone, a tenuous "Do whatever you want" is reached, and I agree
to buy the ferret. Now it gets interesting....
Me: i'd like to buy this ferret
Her: let me call the owner....he says he needs the ferret for the ag
fair in a couple of weeks...you can get it then
Me: Tell him Ill bring it back for the ag fair, along with my other
ferts free of charge, if he lets me take it now...
Her: Ok, he'll be $380.
Me: HOW MUCH?
Her: Shipping and breeder prices have gone up
In a state of shock, but unwilling to let this animal suffer, the debit
card goes down and I resign myself to eating Ramen noodles for the next
month.
Next, me and the ferret (Dexter/ Gringo) travel to our neighborhood
vet, who sees me and my menagerie so often they don't even charge for
office visits anymore. Lo and behold, the little guy has ear mites. Vet
asks if I can keep him separate from other ferrets for three days. I
say this will not be possible as that defeats my purpose in "rescuing"
him. Now everybody in the house is getting tresaderm daily.
MJ (my dominant) cornered him, as expected and screamed some warnings,
but assimilation was pretty calm. I think he's a little angry with me
seeing as though I took him from his sheltered pet store life and
submitted him to a gang of three fuzzies and two cats who think they're
ferrets. No one slept with him last night, but it appears Munchkin took
pity on him this morning. After his bath yesterday, he is a beautiful
glistening white, with the richest red eyes. I hope he'll be happy
here.
I plan to take him to the AG Fair, but I also plan to talk to the owner
(who I know will be getting more fuzzies) about their care. I will be
more than happy to volunteer my services to interact with the new
babies regularly and ensure they are kept nourished and clean.
Updates to come,
Sara and the Fuzzy Four (again)
[Posted in FML 5771]
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