Friday, Dec. 24th, after meeting Paula Bryder and Susie and Ken Sherman in
Orlando, I headed home with 4 very large, very pungent ferrets who were a
part of Operation SAFE.  Two were picked up from me in Ft. Lauderdale and
taken to Miami and two have stayed with me.  I was asked to write down my
thoughts and experiences with them so far and all I can say is "WOW"!
 
Due to a very bad bite in the past, I have strictly avoided taking any
potentially aggressive ferrets into my home.  Needless to say I was very
hesitant about working with these.  Their history?  Well, they have spent
all of their conscious lives (and we have no way of knowing how old they
are) in separate 3x3 cages with wire floors under an open air shelter,
beneath some trees in central Florida.  They were handled only when
necessary and were retrieved by their owner from their cages by first
distracting them with the food dish and then grabbing them at the shoulders.
These poor furballs never knew cuddles or treats or human companionship.
And speaking of fur balls, they were all intact and had just come from
surgery when I picked them up.  I came to the conclusion, they were a bit
more stressed than I was.
 
The first thing I did was give them names.  The chocolate panda is
"Sprocket" and the sterling silver is "Sampson" aka "Sammy".  Both are over
4 pounds and are absolutely the most gorgeous ferrets I have ever seen.
Their insecurity became immediately apparent when after opening their cage
doors, it took them literally 10 minutes to get 2 feet outside their cage.
I realized they had never been in a house, never knew the smell of tile or
upholstery or the sound of a refrigerator or a television.  Things were
going to have to move real slow.  I noticed as they climbed out of their
cages and waddled around that they have very little body strength.  Then I
realized they had never played or dooked or war danced.  My heart went out
to them and our love affair began.
 
Day 1: An hour out time together.  Much exploring.  My only contact with
them was to sit in the middle of the floor and let them smell me.  Any
touching was simply a rub down the back which caused them to quickly
swinging their head around to Investigate.  They are using their litter pans
but moving the bedding away and sleeping on the wire.  (Which is what they
had been used to.)
 
Day 2: An hour out time together.  More exploring.  First time each seemed
to realize the other was there.  I actually saw their first war dance.  I m
amazed that they could get 4+ pounds to jump straight up off the ground like
that.  They discovered a dryer tube and a plastic bag.  More stroking their
backs less turning around.  Still using litter pans.  One slept on the
bedding and one on the wire.
 
Day 3: An hour out time together.  Some exploring, more playing.  They love
the vacuum hose and are determined to shove themselves inside.  Too bad only
their fat snout fits.  A lot more stroking with no reaction whatsoever.
They ve got the litter pan thing down and are sleeping on their bedding.
 
Day 4: An hour out time separately.  Lots of plastic bags and lots of
dancing, rolling over and belly rubs.  Sweatshirt sleeves over the hands,
here goes. . .they let me pick them up!  Not only that but rub them and
carry them around.  Today for the first time I see them looking at me with
respect as their caregiver.  They want desperately to play with me and any
use of their mouth is just to encourage play.  Roughness is answered with a
stern "No" and responded to.
 
The whole reason I did this was to work with them so they could be adopted
out So I fell in love with them, so sue me.  They re now leaving over my
dead body.  Are you interested in one?  Well as the potato chip commercial
says, "Get your own bag!"
 
They re are so many more who need homes and patient human mom s and dad s
who will fall in love with them too.
 
Just thought you d want to know,
Carin Riley
Development Committee Chairperson
South Florida Ferret Club and Rescue, Inc.
[Posted in FML issue 2177]