Last summer we drove to a halfway point to recieve a 4-5 yr. old albino
female ferret who had been "rescued" at an auction sale.  She was being sold
by a breeder who had bought her from another breeder.  Nellie had spent her
entire life, giving life, only to have who knows how many babies snatched
from her loving care.  Her own life was in serious jeopardy when she was
rescued.  During surgery by a skilled veterinarian it was discovered that
she had muco pyometra (Please excuse if not spelled correctly) which would
have taken her life very soon.
 
In our home, ferrets roam freely and there are several toys, most of which
long time resident Georgie claims as his exclusively.  But even Georgie had
snubbed all 4 of the soft fuzzy little squeeky toys that I had bought for
my ferrets to play with.  They include a green and pink turtle, a red and
purple "people-like" doll, a white fuzzy bear shape doll, and a an orange
carrot with a green floppy top.  No one wanted any thing to do with any of
them and although they had been in our home for perhaps a full year, they
were like new.  Well, as Nellie came across them one by one, she immediately
took each in her mouth and carted it off to her chosen spot under the living
room sofa where I provide soft blankies.  She seems to care less if her new
"babies" are multi-colored, odd shaped and even "vegetable" in design.  You
see, Nellie is blind.  She quickly learned her way around our house and
protected screened in porch.  Sometimes when Nellie's "little ones" are
bunched together in a pile, I will see her touch each of them with her nose,
just to make sure they are alright, then go on her way.  Recently Nellie has
also added to her family a tennis ball with a bell in it that I had sewn
fuzzy synthetic sheep fur around.  Once in a while if I vacuum close to her
present chosen "nest", or one of the other ferrets hangs around to long, or
for reasons only she knows, Nellie will decide that perhaps her "babies"
will be safer someplace else.  One by one she lovingly carries them all to
a new place.  Nellie has not been able to accept the other ferrets in her
life.  Probably the result of too many years of isolation and breeding
practices.  But she loves my husband and I and plays excitedly with us
everyday.  Nellie is a gentle little girl and I am so glad that no one will
ever take her babies from her again.
[Posted in FML issue 2394]