Well, I have to add to this discussion.
 
My guy has been pretty great.  In 1992 when we were first together he gave
in to my whim to buy a ferret at a pet store.  We were living in a motel in
Ohio while he worked a paper mill shut-down for a few days.  He diligently
helps me ferret-proof when we move, or when the ferrets defeat current
proofing.  He insists that the best food is purchased not only for them,
but for our dog, too.  He gladly took a day off work to drive us 60 miles
to a vet when our first fuzzie came into heat unexpectly (she'd been
previously spayed, but only 1 ovary had been removed) and bummed around an
unfamiliar town all day while we waited for the go-ahead to take Smokey
home.  This was way back when we lived in VA state.
 
We were ferretless for a year, and he was the one who arranged for us to
get Pepper.  And he was the one who fell in love with Mort.  And he was
the one who, when we rescued Princess and Uno, couldn't give them up for
adoption.
 
And he's the one who found us this huge house to rent so we'd have more
room.
 
And yet, I AM the ferret person around here.  When I asked to add number 5,
he was leery, but then the owner said if we didn't take BB, she was having
him put to sleep.  Ugh.  Got the go-ahead.
 
Now I've started sheltering, and he's a little skeptical.  Especially the
day two groups were dropped off, a total of 6 shelter ferrets, 11 total
including our home group.  He whines a little.  He begs me not to solicit
ferrets.
 
(but I catch him on the floor playing with all the ferrets when he goes
into the kitchen to get a cup of coffee :-)  And moaned delightedly when
one of the shelter babies, Zowie, snuggled into a tiny ball in his cupped
hands and goes right to sleep.  After this event, he looked at me solemnly
and said, and I quote, "You've got to find a home for these two, they're
getting way too cute."
 
He loves our home group to no end, and tolerates shelter ferrets very well,
though he tries to keep a distance from them so as not to fall in love.
 
Dave is terrific, and I'm going to keep him.  For all his reservations
about being a shelter, the most he does when new babies come in is give me
a "look" and then resigns himself to the idea.  But he's also right there,
interested in getting to know the shelter ferrets, asking how they're
adjusting each day, and so forth.  He's also astounded at the neglect we've
seen.  He can't stand it when people shirk their responsibility.
 
Most of you know how ferrets change the way we live.  We put up gates,
close doors always and carefully, defeat them from climbing up to the
window and pushing out the screens, shrug philosophically when they ruin
our stuff.  When you find someone who can handle all this, love you to no
end, and is compatible, well, then you're very lucky.  I'm very lucky.
Alot of us are.  And for those out there who haven't found the right mate
yet, keep looking--he or she is out there somewhere, anxiously waiting to
be introduced to ferrets.  Or perhaps have ferrets and are looking for
someone like yourself.
 
Hang tough.
 
--Sheri M.
[Posted in FML issue 2478]