Hi everyone!
 
I am new to the FML and I have been dying to respond to many things but just
can't find the time to do so.  I barely have time to read the daily
postings.  However, I do enjoy reading it.  It has caused tears of joy as I
read some of the hilariously funny things and tears of pain as I read of the
hurt caused by losing a beloved kiddie.  I have been there on a number of
occasions and know how it hurts - even you Kelleen, in your situation.  It
would just take too much space to elaborate on this so I won't at this time.
 
A word about loners.  We got (I'll explain how later) an altered male a
number of months ago (Scooter) who was (and still is) just wonderful.  He
enjoyed people a lot but had never seen another ferret (he was 3 years old).
It seemed like he looked at the other ferrets and screamed "Aaaahhhh.
What's that." The postings about loners the last couple of days described
him to a T.  If one accidentally touched him he backed right off and wanted
protection.  It also seemed like he had to fight to protect himself because
he didn't know what these creatures were.  We kept him isolated for 6 weeks
which is what we normally do when we get a new ferret, to treat them for ear
mites, fleas and whatever else they have when we get them.  Then came the
slow process of integrating.  He also did not seem to play, or dook, or jump
around like the others did.  We didn't know what to think.  He just seemed
to be depressed.  We put him in one of the rooms where the ferrets live -
the room with the livliest group and he watched them play (through his cage)
and he gradually got used to the fact that there were other ferrets.  The
occupants of this room get to be out in shifts - one group at night, and one
group in the day time.  Periodically we let them sniff each other (while we
held them).  Twice we let him be alone with one of the others and there was
major fighting.  We thought that he just must be a loner.  We then put
Scooter in another room with less active ferrets.  Again there were shifts.
To make a long story short, Scooter is now fully integrated with the
quietest one (altered female - Snoopy) and is almost fully integrated with
the second one (now altered female - Josie).  Things are looking up.  He
seems much happier and he even plays - especially when he is on our bed.
Man he just goes crazy.  What a sweetheart.  It just took time (several
months) and patience.
 
Before I close I want to tell you a bit about what we do.  About 6 years
ago when we were in Arizona we saw, for the first time, a ferret.  It was
in a pet shop.  We just fell in love with it.  It was too expensive and we
were also worried about the border crossing, etc.  I started a new job
several months later and a co-worker had a ferret that she was trying to
get rid of because she was moving into an apartment and could'nt take it
with her.  We took it and the learning process began.  We have had 15 all
together, 10 of which we still have.  They have all come from homes that
for some reason or another couldn't have it any more, and from the Humane
Society.  I wish I could tell you more about this but I am taking too long
already.
 
We wanted to become a Not for Profit organization but even though these
organizations do not make money, they are classed as a business and we
cannot run a business out of our home.  We had a name and all kinds of ideas
of how we would earn some money to help pay for the vet bills and the cages,
etc. etc., and we even made up adoption papers etc. etc.  We are allowed
to have ferrets, as pets, without a restriction on how many ferrets we can
have so when ever we get a call we still take them.  A few months ago we
received 3 in one day, from the same family.  We have kept every one that we
have received.  Again I could rattle on but suffice it to say that the vet
costs and equipment costs such as cages get pretty high sometime and it sure
takes a lot of time to look after them and give the care that they need
(anyone have any ideas on how we can get some proper help?) and deserve but
they sure are wonderful and we love every one of them.  They have brought us
a lot of sorrow and anxiety but they sure have brought us a lot of joy.
 
Dooks to you all from Cam and Therese, owned by Buddie, Jasper, Benji,
Nikki, Scooter, Sarah, Sadie, BJ, Snoopy, Josie and our
Lab/Shepherd/Husky, Tawny.
 
Tryntje Miller              Net:[log in to unmask]
Conrad Grebel College       Library Tel: (519) 885-0220 ext. 239
Waterloo, Ontario           Fax: (519) 885-0014
N2L 3G6
[Posted in FML issue 1373]