Hi Again:
 
Sorry to post twice in a row, but the last post was meant to make
yesterday's list, but I must have missed it by minutes.
 
Sukie: SOOO sorry about the gender screw up with Meltdown; I have read every
one of your posts, and I knew she was a she, but as I wrote I was thinking
how strong she was and me, the horrible sexist I am (joke here) related
strength with masculinity...I hope you weren't offended by my boo-boo.  I
guess an over-the-bridge romance with Lilly is out, but Whiskey is there for
her.  He'd take really good care of her.
 
I realize that by the time you read this Meltdown's fate has probably been
determined, and I hope that the outcome has been good, whatever that may
mean.  I cry when I read your updates on her condition.  I'm thinking of my
seven and realizing that each one of them will someday do the same to me. :-(
 
At the same time, you have given me strength.  Ricky, in my opinion, will be
the next one to break my heart.  He's getting older and he doesn't walk as
well as he used to, and his behavior is, well, just off.  He is active and
seems healthy enough, but I can tell something's not right.
 
You've given me the courage to face whatever comes with his condition.  I
know that I will be there for him as you are with Meltdown (I hope I can,
anyway...you have gone way over and above even what I think Meltdown would
have expected.) I've also realized that I should stop dwelling on the fact
that Ricky is slowly dying: he could have months or even years left, and
rather than spending my time trying to accept that he will be the next one
to go I should be cherishing his life.  Thank you, Sukie, for showing all
of us the meaning of the love of a ferret.  You, and Meltdown, are in my
prayers.
 
To the person who posted about how ferrets adjust to losing their humans,
temporarily or permanently: there's good news, but humans don't like to
hear it!
 
Ferrets, in my opinion, are better than dogs and cats.  I won't go into my
reasons here.  However, they are very different than dogs in that ferrets
really don't have any lifelong loyalty ties to anyone.  Before anyone gets
in a tizzy about this statement, let me justify.
 
Ferrets MUST have love and attention provided to them.  If they don't, they
get "lovesick" and they can become more prone to illness.  It's been said
that it will even decrease their lifespans to be ignored or treated like a
"caged animal" and to this I have no doubt.  However, ferrets don't really
care where their love comes from.  It can be from a human or another ferret,
as long as the love is *consistent*, or greater than it was before.  If you
can no longer keep your ferret, and you have someone loving and responsible
take him from you, he will transfer his love to that new person and happily
accept love from that person.  In fact, ferrets even seem thrilled to be in
new environments...brand new stuff to explore.  It's the same deal if you
have a single ferret, then get a second ferret.  Boom!  Your ferret all of a
sudden doesn't want to do the cuddly-thing with you anymore, (provided they
get along), all he wants to do is play with his new buddy.
 
I've come to these conclusions in my work at the shelter.  People bring
their ferrets to me, and tell me that they've had this ferret for years but
can't take care of it anymore, but they cry and are so worried that the
ferret will miss them.  Meanwhile, the ferret is buzzing all over the room,
dooking and dancing happily in the new environment.  Over the next month or
so, the ferret learns the new routine, and may be a bit puzzled by what's
going on, but not depressed.  Almost always, a ferret that was a kisser to
his old owner, won't give me kisses for a few weeks or even months, because
I'm a new person to bond with.  That's really the extent I've seen in Rescue
ferrets adjusting to life without their owners.  I've adopted ferrets into
homes that bond so deeply with their new owners, even when they were bonded
with their past owners, that in my opinion the ferret is even happier in the
new home.  The key is that the ferret must be kept active and happy.  Some
things should continue in a new home, to help with stress.  If a ferret is
used to getting a particular treat regularly, this should continue.  Also,
when I take ferrets in I ask the owner to bring an unwashed piece of bedding
or something with a familiar scent on it, then I keep it unwashed to go out
with the ferret to the new home.  You don't want to stress the ferret too
much by changing everything; as long as the only big change is a new human,
the ferret should be fine.
 
The only exception is for a ferret I have in now.  This ferret was depressed
and unhappy in the shelter for many weeks, and he's still not 100% but is
getting better.  There's a big difference here, though; this ferret had a
lifelong cagemate, who passed away, then the owner realized she couldn't
keep this one right after the first one's death.  So, within a week of
losing his cagemate, he also lost the only human he ever loved; to top it
off, I am 99% positive that some male person in this ferret's life was
abusing him; he cowers when I reach for him, then calms when I hold him; he
also viciously bites any man that tries to hold him but doesn't bite
females.  This is the only (healthy) ferret I've seen depression in come to
the Rescue.
 
Kymberlie Becker
Director, Pennsylvania Ferret Rescue Association
"Forget Puppy Love...There's nothing Greater than Ferret Love!" TM
[Posted in FML issue 1893]