Okay so maybe your first post did come across a little wrong...but then
again maybe it didn't.  It doesn't really make a difference because
Tiffer's is dead.  No flames or bashing will solve that problem.  I can't
believe that people were bashing you for being gone 10 hours a day.  Do you
have to eat?  Drink?  Wear clothes?  Then I guess that means you have to
work right?  Right.  How else will you survive?  Maybe you are an idiot and
have no knowledge of how to deal or care for the fuzzies and then again
maybe you are a pro at it.  Who are we to make the decision about which one
you are?  I mean if we all think about it then we will all figure out that
there are a whole bunch of people out there that own ferrets and are too
damn dumb to even own the shoes they wear much less ferrets.  These people
will own ferrets regardless of our opinions or thoughts so why flame and
bash?  Let's pull together and help teach them in a nice and friendly way.
Bashing and flaming will only make them feel like they are being mistreated
and make them feel that they DO TO know about caring for ferrets.  How
about writing a letter of sympathy and then throw in a few care tips in a
caring way.  I think they would be more apt to think to themselves that
they might have done something wrong this time and that they should be more
careful the next time and heed some of the advice they received.  If we
bash and flame then they will spend useful learning time trying to defend
themselves and trying to prove to all of us that they did it the right way
even if we all know it was the wrong way.  Does this make any sense?  If it
were me and I received nice sympathetic letters with tips and hints in them
on care...then I would probably think to myself "oh, god it's really my
fault..I did it all wrong" and then I would quietly and politely thank
everyone for caring and at the same time I would tell myself to never
forget the things that all of you told me about caring the right way for my
ferts.  On the other hand, If I received letters bashing, flaming, and
cussing me out then I would probably think to myself "screw those idiots..I
do to know how to love and care for my ferts and I am going to tell them
so" in which I would spend a lot of time after that writing and telling
everyone that I am doing it right and that it wasn't my fault.  See the
difference?
 
I am one of the lucky.  I have a husband that makes a pretty fair amount of
money so I can sit at home on my ass all day and play with fuzzies, feed
fuzzies, clean cages, water fuzzies, hand feed the sick if needed, give
fuzzy baths, clean ears, trim nails, give meds, meet potential adoptive
parents, take phone calls and make them too, rescue a ferret or ferrets in
need and anything else that needs done.  Nikki you aren't as lucky because
you do have to work.  If there ever comes a time when I have to get a job
and it ends up being a job where I would have to work ten hours each
day....would I get rid of my fuzzies??  HELL NO!  Sure you should have paid
more attention to your ferret and your ferret's nails, but I guess now you
know that and I'll bet you will never forget that again.  I'll bet that you
will be the one who will remember that more than anyone else.
 
Even if your ferret did end up without food and/or water for say ten
hours...let me remind everyone that when a ferret is lost outside and has
been gone two days without food and water....did they die??  No!  Most made
it home dehydrated and weak.  What about the ferret's that were lost in the
house in a wall for a few days.  Did they have food and water?  Not always.
Did they die?  Most posts said no!
 
Don't get me wrong...I think that ferret's are as precious to me as a human
life...I love them that much.  You have to work though to survive unless
you are as lucky as me.  Nikki without your job you can't feed fuzzies
right?  Without your job you can't eat either, right?  You have to work to
live otherwise you would be dead and I don't flame or punish you for doing
what you have to do.  I am sure you aren't working ten hours a day because
you think it's fun right?  Right!  It's because you have to.  I am sorry
about your loss and I do so hope that you will take extra good care of your
fuzzies from now on and keep your eyes on their nails.  I also think you
should chip through the flames you received and find the important tips
that are in those letters and try to learn from them.  I think Tiffer's
death is punishment enough for you.  Good Luck!
 
Michelle
[Posted in FML issue 2766]