Really busy but had a good question I wanted to respond to before I went off
on the great St.Louis/Nashville roadtrip.  (Bones is my life)
 
Q: (e-mail): "One of my ferrets is getting very ill and the vet wants to put
her to sleep.  They don't want me to be there even though I think your
description of Buddy's final moments was beautiful.  Any advice?"
 
A: If the decision to be there is in your heart, I would explain it to the
vet.  Your request might seem a bit unusual; from what I've been told, most
pet owners leave the job to the vet, including the final disposal of the
body.  I would recommend you allowing the vet to give the injection,
however, so it can be done as simply and painlessly as possible.  I'm sure
your vet will agree to allow you to be there if you communicate your
feelings about the matter.  If they don't, don't get mad, just call around
and find someone more sensitive to your emotional needs.
 
Don't underestimate the grief you might feel after the loss of a pet.  I
could tell by portions of your mail that you are already quite upset about
this pending event.  Troy Lynn Eckart has provided me with some wonderful
support materials in the past; I can forward them to you or you can write
her directly (she posts regularly on the FML).  I get the distinct feeling
from your mail that you are a California resident; write me back and I can
get you in contact (with mutual consent) with others who have lost pet
companions, and can help you through it.  Don't be afraid to ask.
 
Good luck, and I hope things work out well.
 
Q: (e-mail) I'm a grad student on a limited budget and my ferrets need some
toys.  Any ideas?
 
A: Sure.  Get a NSF grant to research "Visual, Olfactory and Tactile Stimuli
as Factors of Random Pseudopredationary Behaviors in a Captive Population of
Standardized Domesticated Ferrets Mustela putorius f.  furo Linneaus 1758
(Mammalia: Carnivora: Mustelidae)."
 
Am I good, or what?
 
I love lots of toys, and, with teens sucking the green from my pockets,
understand your needs.  Here are some cheap toys I've come up with in the
last few weeks.
 
Easter Eggs: Pour some sand into a plastic Easter egg, then super- or
hot-glue the opposite end in place.  Makes a nice organic sound when the
ferts push them around; the noise seems irresistable to some of them.  Under
2 bucks for a bunch.  The only musical instrument I can play.
 
Sofa Shark Scuba: freeze some fruit juice and float it in a shallow pan of
water.  Its really funny watching them try to get the cube without getting
their feet wet.  An alternative is to mix protein power into jello mix to
use instead of the ice cubes.
 
Giant Easter Egg: I found a giant lawn egg (about 14 inches tall) at K-mart;
it cost $1.29.  I cut a hole in the small end, rubbed some nutrical on the
inside, then watched the fun.
 
Rat on a stick: I fill the ends of old sock with cellophane, tie it off,
then attach it to a stick with about 3 feet of cord.  Even Stella runs after
this one, and it is basically free.  I once used a tube sock, filling it
completely, and had a snake on a stick.  I also call it 'fishing for
ferrets.'
 
And finally, the drawers of death.  For 10 bucks I bought a small, used
cabinet and filled the drawers with all kinds of smelly and noisy things.
I set it in the room, then pretend not to want the ferrets inside.  They
always succeed.  Use a box, and its almost free.
 
Have fun!
 
Bob C and the 17 Phreaky Pherrets
[Posted in FML issue 1887]