Fizzle came to me in 2007 as a three year old ferret, with a cage mate,
Windy who was just a year old. Fizzle and Windy were labelled as
biters. Fizzle being called especially vicious. Her name at the old
home was Fire, Windy was Wind. They had been housed in a tall Superpet
cage with no ramps or levels or tunnels; only a small triangle hammock.
Their litter and food was comingled and strewn about the bottom of the
cage. In the same house two other ferrets shared a Marsha''s Mansion.
Within a couple weeks all 4 ferrets came to live with me.

Windy didn't really bite - she did the lick, lick, nibble thing.
"Fire" on the other hand happily drew blood. Especially if your hand
was holding a water dish! Come to find out the former owner's idea of
"disciplining" the ferrets consisted of throwing cans of pennies at
them and squirting them with water!

After just a few short days of free roam and no penny cans, plenty of
tunnels to explore, dig boxes and cuddle cups she began to let her
guard down. As her "Fire" fizzled out, she told me she liked the new
name "Fizzle". Fizzle quickly took to a raw diet and whole prey too.
It wasn't long before she would come to me on her own for a cuddle and
snooze. She was boss, Queen to be exact, as far as the other ferrets
were concerned. Not really mean, but took no crap.

When Fizzle met Roman, my gladiator ferret, the two became good
friends. Often snoozing together and romping around. I think Fizzle
helped Roman get over his penchant for biting. Fizzle would give
smooches, and liked to sleep next to me. Several months ago Fizzle
started having shortness of breath spells. But the spells never lasted
long. She never went off her feed. Even blind, she could track a mouse,
capture and dispatch it. She'd bounce during play times, climb the
furniture, and managed to locate the litter pans. When she shed her
fur this spring, her guard hairs never came back in - so just her soft
fluffy undercoat dressed her. A slight thinning across her shoulder
blades - likely adrenal. Not surprising for a ferret of her age. She
slowed down. Was content to sleep in a pile with the original "Bruiser
Crew". Taught the youngster Whoopi the ropes about being boss.

This Saturday she devoured her final mouse. She bounced across the
livingroom into the kitchen. Followed me as I prepped their raw meal.
Trotted back to the pen when I rang their dinner bell. She ate some
chicken liver, wiped her face on the rug, then went to bed. Sunday
morning was pretty much a repeat of Saturday. I am a night owl, so it
was 4:30 Monday morning when I turned in. Had to get up at 07:00 to
go help a horse friend. Checking in on the "kids", Fizzle had passed
between 4:30 am and 7am Memorial day.

Fizzle was a memorable ferret. She would have been 91/2 on June 1st!
She was a Marshall's ferret. Small, but tough, determined, loving,
fun, smart and a great smoocher. Fizzle will be missed.

A few pix of her are here:
http://s49.photobucket.com/user/Vanityferret/slideshow/VF%20Fizzle

[Unable to verify above link at time FML released. BIG]

Regards,
Kim

[Posted in FML 7804]