Yesterday we attended the all denomination Blessing of the Animals in
Topeka at Gage park.  We took 3, Scooby, Bandit, and Silver, in their
somewhat small but comfortable black break-down cage with 2 partial
shelves, 2 hammocks, litter box, food bowl and water bottle.
 
Scooby was very frightened.  Some of you may remember he was our
malnourished baby we got back in March, and that he is deaf.  He was wide
eyed and very still.  When I took him out, this ferret that normally
struggles to be released from my loving hold, stayed so very still.  I took
advantage of the opportunity and cuddled him to my fill for the time.
 
Bandit was very curious and tried so hard to stay awake and watch all the
goings on.  She especially delighted in being held by one of the minister's
helpers for a very long time. :-)
 
Silver was nervous at first and quite the hand full for Nancy.  But he soon
settled down and was quite content to be there in the crowd.
 
We didn't let too many people handle them but the two women ministers were
very curious about them and one in particular asked if she could hold
them.  They were very well behaved in this blessed atmosphere.
 
It was funny to watch the dogs go by with their people and then get a whiff
of the ferrets and to the surprise of their people the dogs would do a
quick turn-around to come sniff the cage.  We had the cage up on a table
and the bars were spaced close together so the ferrets were safe.  The
ferrets too loved the dogs.  We use to have two, but now we are dogless and
this showed me just how much they miss their dogs.  Apparently a big great
dane puppy was thrilled with the ferrets.  (nope, we aren't getting a great
dane, uh uh, nope)  An 8 week old puppy was frightened of them and wouldn't
go near the cage.
 
The children were attracted to the ferrets like magnets to refrigerators.
They would stick fingers in the cage (Nancy and/or I were watching at all
times) and the parents would pull them back and say no they might bite and
I would say no they don't bite they are very gentle and the kids would put
fingers back in but the ferrets didn't even notice.  If the child was
fortunate to have one sniff their finger, they would giggle and pull back
only to put their finger back in.
 
We had two news crews film us and we appeared on two local tv stations in a
very positive light.  One of the stations interviewed us and we had a short
clip on that station, complete with my response to one of their questions.
 
We also got to meet three rats, an 8 yr old rabbit, lots of dogs and an 8
wk old pot-bellied pig.
 
The ferrets took it all in stride and behaved very well.  By the time we
left Scooby was a bit more comfortable.  Considering this was his first
time out at a public event I think he did fine. :-)
 
When we got home and I brought the travel cage in, 10 ferrets climbed in
and stayed, ready for us to take them on a trip too!
 
Warm hugs to all. tle
Troy Lynn Eckart
Ferret Family Services
http://www-personal.ksu.edu/~sprite/ffs.html
http://www.geocities.com/Petsburgh/Haven/5481/
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[Posted in FML issue 3201]