We got Knuks back from the vet last night. She has one of those
stupid-looking cone collars on so she won't fuss at her toe--the nail is gone
and the vet says it won't grow back : - ( . She has a little stump. She is,
however, playful and alert and ready to race around. She likes to run her
nose through the clean litter. Well, now she has that cone on so she scoops
the litter up in the cone. She sits still for a second (so you can get a good
look at how silly she looks with corn cob all around her head) and then
shakes her head vigorously, showering the cage and the floor outside the cage
in litter. She's just a darling. {BTW-can a cone collar really keep a
_ferret_ from getting at her foot?!}
 
Eric and I checked the cage several times to try to figure out where Knuks
caught her toe. But we've found nothing out of the ordinary. Still I feel
like I should have been able to prevent it. Eric points out that we have used
the cage for over two years and none of the other ferrets has had any problem
with it.
 
To Chris Haas re: Bailey
Our Ralph is deaf. There were several subtle indicators. When he was still
very young he was playing with the bottom of a broom that was propped against
the wall. The broom eventually came crashing down, scaring the heck out of
ME, and he didn't even flinch. He never responded to a squeaky toy. You can
sneak up on him and scare the heck out of him if he doesn't see you coming.
He'll jump straight up in the air. When he's playing with the other ferrets,
one of them will turn a corner when Ralph's not looking. He just stands there
looking from side to side trying to figure out what happened. Meanwhile the
other ferret is making all kinds of noise just around the corner. Ralph walks
away disappointed. When we open the cage to let them romp, Ralph is often the
last to know. (I think Ralph's willingness to sleep deeply is a sign that he
feels safe--yay!) Despite his deafness, Ralph gets along pretty darned well.
It does make him run up to new things more readily than the others (as if
that's possible in a ferret) so he can get a closer look and a good whiff.
And you can vaccuum around him without him having a little heart attack.
 
Marcy: We're very glad Fitch is going home (has gone home by now). Four
ferret cheers!
(Kunks would like to add that hospitals are not nearly as much fun as home.)
 
Best to all the furballs,
 
Mary, Eric, Sabrina (yawn), Ralph (huh?), Marshmallow (scratch, scratch) &
Knuks (I'll bet I can scoop ALL this litter out!)
[Posted in FML issue 1135]