Well I wanted to so *something* for the new kid who is suffering miserably
with the 'scabbies' so I took him outside on a leash today.  He is quite
skittish of things so I didn't know how it would work out.  He did enjoy
himself.  He did okay on a leash, probably his first time though.  I had to
be careful as I followed him, if I stepped on a twig or leaf that made a
sudden noise, it startled him terribly.  He's very afraid of noises.  He
trembles alot.  One of my cats, Skidmark, came too close and he nailed the
cats foot and sent him crying and running off...the cat, not the ferret.
There were also cats abandoned in the apartment where this guy was left, so
he had learned to defend himself from them I suppose.  He sniffed the grass,
rubbed his face on and dug at a piece of firewood lying on the ground.  His
tail frizzed out several times as if he was enjoying himself.  He seemed to
like my pickup tires and dug at those.  It is pretty warm here already so we
didn't stay out long, but he sure liked it.  I'll try to make that a daily
routine for him, at least until he is over this crud and can play with other
ferrets.  He seems so sad and depressed.  I gave him a tube and a ball today
inside his big cage, he checked them out but didn't play much.  He doesn't
know how to get inside a sleepsack or what a hammock is either.  I gave him
a pacifyer and he played a little with that, it just seems like nothing
thrills him much.
 
Oh, while we were out, he turned around once and came back to me, and
stretched up on my leg, so I put my hand down to him and he climbed up and
hung onto my hand as if he wanted to be picked up.  I did.  He liked that,
he laid in my arms a bit then climbed onto my shoulders for a better view.
He's a neat kid.  I hope he is starting to learn that I am his friend.
 
Now I just have to think of a name.  Gads I hate naming animals.  I have
completely run out of ideas and a name has to be just right.  Maybe I'll
wait until I can see his real personality.  (That's a good excuse to put if
off anyway :>) Temporarily, he is named "Choco" for his very dark
brown/chocolate color.  I've been saving my favorite names "Charley" or
"Brownie" for a very special ferret that will remain with me, maybe that
will be him, I don't know yet.  I like "Rascal" too, and that always fits a
ferret (hi Joell :>), and I like "Henry"...hmm, guess I am rambling, sorry.
 
I have taken snapshots today (thanks Maggie) so I can remember how terrible
he looked upon arrival here.  He has brown crusty stuff hanging off both
ears and some on his stomach too.  Some hair is gone from around his ears.
His feet only have a little hair on them.  Some hair is missing on his
belly.  Otherwise his coat is long and very nicely complete.  Oh, he does
have a couple of small bumps on his head.  Everytime I look at him I start
itching.  He isn't scratching much, but they say scabbies are miserable.
Tomorrow I may bathe him if I think he's up to it.  The vet says not to do
anything more for him medically other than a bath, the Ivermectin will cure
him, it just may take a week.
 
Right now he's so cute.  He seemed warm (it's kinda hot here already) so I
put some icepacks into a thin sleepsack and put in his cage.  He's lying
flat on his back with his head, neck, and shoulders on the bag of icepacks,
and he's sound asleep.
 
Kisses to the fuzzies,
Trish
[Posted in FML issue 1908]