------- Forwarded Message Follows -------
 To:            "Troy Lynn Eckart" <[log in to unmask]>
 From:          Charlene Lowe <[log in to unmask]>
 Subject:       Long time no e-mail...
 Date:          Tue, 11 Feb 97 10:55:41 -0600
 
 Hi tle,
 
 I wanted to send a note to tell you that Sidney is 100% integrated as of a
 few weeks ago and he has full run of the place like all of the other
 monsters.  It was a long journey to where we're at now but you wouldn't
 believe how happy we are at how everything has turned out.  Remember
 several months ago the day that joe delivered Sidney to our home and we
 brought him downstairs and just held him - Ford came within about 20 feet
 of the new guy and pooped and peed all over the floor right where he stood
 and then ran as fast as he could for cover even though we were holding Sid
 and there was a great distance between the two.  Well - you'll be happy to
 know that Ford thinks that Sidney makes for a very comfy pillow nowadays.
 They sleep chin to chin.  Sid has even taken to cleaning the girls ears.
 When I look at him I can see it in his face how hard he is trying to be
 good.  He is still struggling I think with developing his relationship with
 the other ferrets but he has overcome the most major obstacles.  Now that
 he is cuddled with them 24 hours a day we find that he is afraid to let the
 others out of his sights.  We're hoping this will clear up in a few more
 weeks.  If he falls asleep in a pile with the others and they all get up to
 play before he wakes up - he gets very upset when he does wake up and he
 finds himself alone.  Sometimes it is difficult to get him to play one on
 one because he wants to be with the others.  It's funny - when he came to
 us he was filled with a confidence that was so brash, he didn't care about
 anything or anyone, he'd soon as bite you as look at you, he didn't need
 you or any other ferrets for that matter, he screamed LEAVE ME ALONE.  Then
 as time went on that confidence went away more and more to where he was
 kind of skeptical about anything new, curious, and interested but worried
 and when scared he would resort to biting and violence.  Then eventually he
 has become calm and a little bit disbelieving I think.  And now we are in
 the process of building up his self esteem again and give him his
 confidence back again but this time a different type of confidence.  A
 confidence that he is loved and that everything is going to be okay, and
 that all of his buddy's are going to be there when he wakes up.  It's been
 really amazing to watch.  I've really learned a lot.  Just wanted to let
 you know everything is going good... Thanks for helping to introduce us.
 charlene
[Posted in FML issue 1842]