IF you are a compassionate loving caring skilled committed knowledgeable
trustworthy dependable kind and giving person---consider adopting a little
needy ferret this Christmas season.  You may not be aware of the large
numbers of little ones that have been passed around from home to home many
times over already during their brief little lives.  They usually are sold
(people want to recoup some of their money), but sometimes they are dumped,
left abandoned after the people move out of a house, let go in woods, just
turned out, given away, taken to animal shelters/ pounds, stuck in a cage
in a basement or corner of unused room and so on.  Ferrets turned out into
the wild suffer painful and tragic deaths.  Unless they are fortunate to be
found quickly and by people who will do what is best for them, and that is
to see that they are placed into a permanent, loving, and
ferret-appropriate home.Many ferret shelters do just this.  The people who
operate some of these homes do so because they (like you IF you are the
kind of person I mentioned above) are in love with ferrets and cannot bear
to not to help those that they can reach.  IF you meditate deeply on these
thoughts and decide that you "measure up" and have the qualities that it
takes, you may find your "special" little one advertised in the newspaper,
free advertising publication, at an auction, ferret shelter, or public
animal shelter/pound, or elsewhere--read on.  A few months ago, a friend in
a neighboring town called me and told me about a ferret that some people
wanted to sell.  She said he is about 1 1/2 to 2 years old and the home
runs a daycare.  Something told me that this little boy needed a better
home.  When I arrived I was let into a dimly lit foyer and the little
ferret was taken from a huge aviary carrier and handed to me.  I could not
see him well, but did not need to.  He held his little body stiffly and I
knew immediately from holding him that he was not a young ferret and was
either in pain or very frightened.  I paid them for him as quickly as I
could and since they were reluctant to tell me much about his history, I
left.  His name is Snoopy and he is probably close to 7 years old, not 1-2.
He had difficulty walking and his hind end fell over occasionally at first
and he had pain and his hips were tender and he cried when the other
ferrets tried to play with him.  When I reached down with a dish of food,
linatone, or fruit treats (which he loves), he cowered away as if he will
be struck.  I had never seen a ferret behave this way.  He had been injured
possibly by handling from young children, dropped by someone.  I will never
know.  The carrier he was in had raised areas and no space for him to lay
comfortably at any time.  I suspect he spent a great deal of time in that
carrier.  There was sheet of newspaper over the bottom and his water was
skanky with bits of who knows what in it.  Obviously old and filthy.  He
had a small sand filled corner litter box and the food he had was cheap cat
food of some kind.  Snoopy is a total little doll boy.  So delightful
sweet.  He got over the soreness after awhile and began to jump with glee
at being free.  His coordination is not normal and will never be but he is
happy and safe.  Now he comes to us and walks on our toes to get attention.
He begs fruit from my husband every morning at breakfast.  We call him our
furry little fruit bat.  Sometimes you have to buy a ferret to rescue them.
Before you make your final decision, be aware that many ferrets have had
some hard times their entire lives.  They may not have been able to trust
humans for a long time--or maybe never.  They may nip or bite.  This is a
defensive behavior that they have learned to try to survive.  If this
thought turns you off, don't start on this endeavor.  Trustworthy behavior
begats trust.  If you are always kind, gentle and loving, eventually the
ferret will learn that he/she can trust you to always be that way.  Ferrets
who nip or bite almost always can be loved out of it and learn to love you
back.  There are rare exceptions.  It takes a differing amount of time for
the individual ferret.  It may take a few days or it could take months.  Be
sure you are up to the patient task.  What these little ones do not need is
to be shuffled off to yet another and another home.  They need permanent
homes.  If this is not "YOU", don't even start.  It is a serious matter and
should not be taken lightly.  Ferrets can be a several year, and sometimes
financially costly committment.  Being trustworthy means that you are
willing to seek the most ferret-knowledgeable doctor for you ferret that
you can find, even if it means you have to drivea considerable distance for
him/or her to get that care.  It is almost impossible to care for ferrets
properly without having a ferret-skilled veterinarian available.  And they
are few and far between.  Just because a veterinarian treats ferrets, does
not mean that he/she is treating them appropriately.  This statement is
borne out of personal experience and I am sure would be verified by
thousands of ferret caregivers across the country/world.  I can personally
tell you that rescuing a ferret and watching as he/she gradually learns
what love and trust is, is one of the most rewarding things that humans can
do.  Never, never use physical discipline with a ferret.  It is not
necessary to teach or train.  It always does more harm than good and
destroys the trust bond between humans and ferrets.  They are very
intelligent animals and want to please their caregivers.
 
I am talking to a select group of people today.  You know who you
are --- :o)  To all of you others, you could help needy ferrets by donating
supplies or money to a ferret shelter.  Find one that you deem worthy and
who does not breed and sell ferrets.
 
To you and to all you others and your ferrets
-- Happy Thanksgiving From Jan and the furry baker's dozen at Gracie's
Place in the Land of Oz
[Posted in FML issue 2874]