I'm trying to figure out where to begin.

As long as I've been involved with other ferret people I've heard them
say these animals just aren't here long enough, and that when each one
goes they take a little bit of your heart with them. I've heard "never
again" so many times, I can't count them. And I understand. I've been
there myself.

But I wish people's heart break wasn't so bad that they would keep in
mind a couple of things. One is, that their life span is 5-9 years
in Canada and in the States (it varies quite a bit). With the poor
breeding that has occured in the dog world over the course of the last
few decades ...I say, that with some dog breeds, there isn't that much
difference comparatively. Really think about it. Golden Retrievers have
been doing horrible with cancer rates. Many of them falling prey to
it by age 4. I could go on and on. Not to mention that several of the
large dog species is 7-10 years naturally without the recent poor
breeding. Cats, I am not familiar with. I know they used to live what,
15 years? Correct me, because I know I am wrong. Now lets look at
species that are more in the category of ferrets ... small mammals. How
long does a Siberian Chipmunk live? Less. How long does a short tailed
opossum live? 4-5 years and believe me they are a huge personality.
Rats? Less. Guinea Pigs? Less. The list goes on and on. Yet you rarely
hear people say "never again" in regards to their horse, dog, rabbit,
etc. Isn't that interesting? I find this to be extremely unique
regarding ferrets. I suppose it says very much about their unique
ability to burrow into your heart, bond with you, and their huge
personalities.

I grew up on a farm with a great many of animals. Some life spans being
2 years and some being 70. I had very wide exposure to various animals,
farm, domestic, exotics, etc.. So I know what it takes to love and care
for an animal that will be here long after I am gone, and a species
that will be only be here for 1-2 years. For me, I would never wish
that my pets all live to be 70. If all my beloved pets lived a life
time, how many would I have been able to have in my life time? 2? 6?
In my life I'm delighted to say that I've owned everything from a
goldfish to a python to a cat to a horse and everything in between.

I own birds. And I've never come to terms with the fact that I will
probably never own any other large parrot other than my cockatoo
because they last a life time (and because she has special needs, it
would be difficult to own another at this point). However, I see my
ferrets and think to myself how lucky and blessed I am to have been
able to love so many! If they lived for 70 years, I'd never get to meet
and love other ferrets in my life time. Did you ever have a dream of
owning a butterscotch colored ferret? A Swedish ferret? A deaf ferret?
A MF? A private bred? A rescue? A baby? Well if our babies lived for
decades, you'd probably never ever see any of your dream ferrets. I
will never see my dream birds. Ever.

That said, I understand we are all different emotionally and
psychologically. My husband is "done". I doubt he will ever dabble in
ferrets again. His heart was broken beyond repair when his last two
passed it seems. He is quite happy that his cockatoo will be here
forever and that she will be his one and only. He is sad and upset that
his cockatiel will not be here as long and will pass in another decade
or so. I say, wow, some day, I will have the opportunity to be blessed
with owning another kind of bird aside from my cockatiel. Or another
kind of animal for that matter.

All I know for sure, is that people should never close their hearts to
possibility, opportunity and love. Until I developed severe allergies
and asthma from exposure to my ferrets, I was "into ferrets" for the
long haul. I began at age 9. I still own ferrets. That said, we NEVER
would have been able to do that if we owned one ferret after another
for the last 40 years. Ever. We'd own a few, and when those passed,
that was it for a while. We'd take a long break. Years. And waited
until we missed them too much and waited until a special opportunity
or individual came into our lives. That is how I stayed sane with the
losses.

Many people keep a dog or cat (or other type of pet) in their lives,
one after another, their entire lives ... non stop. I dont know why
it is that so many of us can do that so naturally. Its easy for me
in regards to many kinds of animals. But not for ferrets. Yet, when
talking about ferrets, I will never say ... well, never. And when you
take away the part of the equation that backs you into a corner of
"will I or won't I" as if its a marriage proposal or commitment for
life, you'll feel a great weight lifted off your shoulders.

Wolfy
(in memory of Nahum)

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http://www.wolfysluv.com/sean.html

[Posted in FML 7876]