Hi all,
I haven't posted for a long time, but felt compelled to write after
reading Betty's post about her recently acquired little girl "biter"
whom she is rehabilitating.
I too had a similar experience. I rescued my beautiful (aren't they
all?), and very abused fuzzy, "Scrumpy", who was, when I was first was
introduced to him, one of the most vicious animals I have ever come
across. Scrumpy is handicapped because of the abuse he received, and
it's no wonder he was so vicious and afraid of humans from this abuse.
At first I thought is was insulinoma, however after testing, it was
obvious it wasn't a disease that caused seizures, it was definitely from
a blow, or blows, to the head. The little guy was more than likely
either hit hard, or thrown against walls from a past, "owner" (scum!).
When I first brought Scrumpy home, like Betty with her new little fuzzy
girl, I was ready to be shredded. Boy, did I get it! I didn't think a
ferret could do so much damage, but he got hold of my arm numerous times
and wouldn't let go. He went right to the bone, to the point where I
couldn't keyboard for a few days because of a swollen arm and hand.
Scrumpy lived with my big gentle ferret, "'Finnigan", and the two
quickly became very best friends. They had free run of a bedroom
together, and every day, I would come their bedroom to interact with
Scrumpy for hours to try to win him over. I'd also let him roam the
house to interact in a bigger area with his buddy Finnigan and me.
Unlike Betty, I did use my leather motorcycle gloves to handle Scrumpy
at first. I didn't see any way around it. I too believe the human
touch is very important, but after being bitten so many times so badly,
I just felt I couldn't handle him any other way. It was either wear no
gloves and be afraid of being hurt, or wear the gloves so I could handle
him, speak with him softly, and get him used to being held by a human.
Whatever works.
I was bitten over and over again, but the gloves saved me. I quickly
learned not to go into the room with bare feet (ouch!!!), but was
always very patient with Scrump. It wasn't his fault.
To make a very long story short, it took about 2 months before I felt I
could handle Scrumpy without gloves. It was so nice to feel his soft
fur in my fingers finally, without a fear of being bitten badly. I
would also walk into the room with bare feet, and when Scrumpy would
come over to my toes, I would just cringe, stand very still, and softly
say, "Please, Scrumpy, please, don't bite me." He did a few times, but
gradually stopped. After 3 months, I could bring him up to my face
without a fear of being bitten. At times, I felt I was tempting fate by
being so trusting of him, but it was that trust, and all the love
Scrumpy received, that won him over. Patience and understanding are so
very important when dealing with animals who have had a rough life in
the past.
I'm happy to say that I've had my Scrumpy now for 8 months now, and he
is the most loving, "kissiest" fuzzy out of my four. He has learned
that humans are not all bad, and it's the love he has received that has
made him realize that.
I think it's important that people know that if they come across a
"biter", these ferrets can be rehabilitated and turn into the most
loving animals. Please don't give up on them. It's not their fault.
Scrumpy knows he will never, EVER, be abused again, and he shows me his
love every day with his warm kisses and nuzzles.
I must also give credit to my gentle giant Finnigan in Scrumpy's
rehabilitation. As I said, Scrumpy has seizures, but Finnigan manages
to get Scrumpy playing and running around. Even though Scrump will drop
to the floor when he has a seizures, Finnigan manages to get him going
again, and romping around like "a normal ferret".
I hope this message can give people with "biters" hope, and help people
with their biter ferrets to persevere, be patient and loving, and not
give up on their ferret so readily.
Take care ...Linda, Scamp, Shreddy, Finnigan and Scrumpy.
[Posted in FML issue 2894]
|
