Re:  JT's shakin' fuzzie
 
JT, don't worry.  All ferrets shake.  Usually it is right after they wake
up.  When a ferret sleeps its metabolism slows down--it is sort of like
going into a light hibernation.  When the fuzz bucket wakes up, it takes
time for the kid to raise his/her metabolism back up to regular trouble
making levels.  They do this through shaking.  My P.B. will sometimes
shake for 20 minutes while rolling around on the floor yawning.  Sherlock
generally is finished shaking after about 5 minutes, but he is a *very*
light sleeper.
 
Chris asks about waterbowls and digging.
 
I think some ferrets just do this.  P.B. drinks nicely from the bowl,
Sherlock would make a mess if it weren't so darn heavy.  Sherlock scratches
at the water bowl, scratches at the stone we use to keep the bathroom door
open, scratches at the drain in the tub, scratches scratches scratches.
We've noticed when we clip his toenails, he scratches less.  Perhaps he's
trying wear them down...who knows.  Anyway, I think that your Hotspur is
just being a ferret.  They all have different quirks and
personalities--that's what makes them so much fun!
 
Mitch asks about ferret care.
 
Mitch, I would purchase a book (Mary Shefferman's book is a good starter)
and check on the web.  Ferret Central (www.ferretcentral.org) is a bounty
of great information.  As for Baby biting, ask the former owners if she has
always been a biter.  If she wasn't, chances are as she settles into her
new home she'll stop.  Remember, she's just been through a pretty traumatic
experience--being moved from one familiar environment to an unfamiliar one.
She's also lost the people that she was bonded to.  On the positive side,
she does have Princess to help ground her.  When we adopted P.B. it took
almost 6 months for him to bond to my wife and I.  He became a pretty nasty
biter, but it all settled out and he's now the most cuddly lap ferret you
could ever want.
 
Cheers All,
Matthew in Virginia.
[Posted in FML issue 2590]