A number of FML's back, a writer asked that we submit some data on any old
ferts we might have been owned by.
 
In my household, there were 2.  My first ferret was Bubba, an albino, from,
I believe, Marshal Farms.  (He had the tatoo's!) Bubba was the most healthy
ferret I have ever seen.  Only problem with him, was...........he was blind.
Didn't stop him though.  As long as nothing was moved, he knew exactly where
he was, at all times, both here at home, and at work..where he spent each
and every day with me.  He was my guard ferret..even said so on the
door...BEWARE OF GUARD FERRET.  (Got people looking down so they didn't step
on him..he had to greet everyone at the door...it was a computer store) I
digress....Bubba never had a sick day, to my knowledge..ate like a horse and
aimed to please.  He had 7 behavioral modifications that he performed almost
every time on cue and was a cuddle ferret..I imagine that being blind, he
was much more dependent on the tactile sense of touch for his security..he
was very content to spend all the time I would permit in my lap.  When Bubba
was 10 1/2 (Accurate, as I purchased him as a 6 week old kit at a pet store)
he went to sleep with his favorite toy (he had several and knew each by name
and ALWAYS knew where each was!) and never woke up.
 
Billy-Bob was a silver who entered my life a year after Bubba did..Bubba was
a 6 month old ferret who was 'abandoned' by his owners to me, because he was
deaf.  Billy was a sweetie who learned to look around when ever someone
stamped the floor...he was very adept at reading hand signals.  Billy's
first family purchased him in Canada from a pet store and I believe he was
Hagen ferret...(Am I right..who is the big breeder in Canada??) Anywho...
Billy was relatively (SP?) healthy until he was 8 1/2 when he developed
adrenal problems.  He had surgery and lived on for 6 months.  He was active
up until the end when he suffered a massive stroke and was completely
paralized from the neck down.  I was forced to put him down..I cried for 2
days afterwards...I may be man but my fuzzies are the same as my children.
 
My ferrets have always had Mazuri ferret food or its Ralston-Purina
predecessor.  I never skimped on raisins and each fuzzy drank more of my
milk and ate more of my chocolate than I did!  Fatty foods were a treat..did
I say that french fries are good training aids??!!  For years, they got
Linatone for their coats..until Ferretone came out...2 minutes of good licks
each and every morning.  As Pam Greene will attest, I have disagreed with
her on diet issues.  I believe wholeheartedly that if the base food is good,
and the fuzzies get lots of good exercise, 'garbage food' treats will not
hurt them in the least.  ( I have never practiced moderation in the treat
department as I am a pushover for a begging fert!) Sorry Pam :-)  I DO agree
with you on everything else!!
 
I won't talk about Garret right now other than to say he is now 6 1/2.  He
thinks he's still a kit.
 
My 'baby' is Snorkle.  Snork is an MF fuzzy that came to me because he was
inadvertantly shipped at 3 to 4 weeks to a good friend's pet store.  Snork
could neither eat or drink yet and fit in the center of the palm of my hand.
He was dying.  Mike asked if I thought I could help.  I said hell
yes....Well...Snork is now a 4 plus pound ferret, five months old whose sole
purpose in life is, apparently, to please.  I do believe he will accept more
behavioral modifications than Bubba did.  Already he knows 'kiss'..a lick on
the nose.  He also knows 'big kiss', where he will sorta half yawn and
gently bite the whole tip of my nose.  And, he will yawn on command.  All
with a simple, "Snork, do this or do that".  In the privacy of the house, he
will do all asked of him with no cajoling..in public, he has to be prompted
a bit more...he loves it when we go somewhere...as he is still distracted
easily.  Oh yes..he IS a rarity for a Marshal Farms ferret..he is a
Panda..with white mits and a white tipped tail.  He doesn't talk much when
he plays..he hisses!  It is funny to listen to him run..hiss, hiss,
hissssssss, hiss...hop, jump, hissssss...He has never had a penchant for
nipping or biting..as many kits do..he has always 'mouthed' when playing but
never clamped his jaws.  MF sure sent me a wonderful friend to replace
Billy.  (Garret I love but he is my son's fuzzy...Bubba and Billy were
mine..I was lonely without them) Oh yes..and for the ferret smell
discussion, he smells like popcorn!
 
Things happen in the most extrordinary ways and with the most amazing
timing.  What wonderful little creatures these ferrets be!
 
Joe  (The rude one)
Garret.."Hey..I can kiss too!"
Snorkle.."What is this?  I have to stick my head down in three inches of
water just to get a raisin??!!"
[Posted in FML issue 2105]