I expected this to happen, but I guess not this soon...
 
The woman I am babysitting her ferrets for has offered up a second ferret
up for surrender.
 
She says it is because she feels that her first surrender, buddy to this
second surrender, would be better off if they were together.  Then she went
on to say that the place she is hoping to move into, will only accept two
ferrets but not three.  The surrender is not conditional of whether or not
she gets this place.  I feel that she is surrendering this second one
because she finally understands that this other ferret may cost her more
money in the long run.
 
The cage that my friend and I spent so much time refurbishing with
hammocks, blankets, food dishes, and toys is up for sale, and asked me
if I wanted to pay her $100 for it.  I told her that my ferrets are free
roamers, and that I have what cages I need already.  She told me she needed
the money to move... This struck me odd, as her rent is covered by the
program she is involved in and does not need to pay anything up front.  Her
husband is the one who moved her in the first place, and it cost him only a
partial tank of gas to do so.  (It ended up costing him more due to the
fact she insisted he use his unregistered truck for the move and got
caught.  Big fine.) I told her that out of fairness, that if she was
selling the cage, that I would have to take the stuff back because it was
given to her out of need for the two ferrets that were living in it.  She
has now surrendered the two ferrets that sleep in that cage, so by
reasoning the surrenders should have something that they have grown use to
sleeping in, to go with them when they get adopted out.  She agreed.....
but then she said maybe she would keep the cage and just join them with
hose for the remaining two to run in.  I felt that if she were to use the
second cage for this, that it would be a good idea.  I offered to show her
how to make hammocks, and that she can do her own customizing to this cage.
She seemed agreeable to it.
 
I have mixed emotions about the second surrender... you see, this one is
her oldest at six years of age, and the one this woman said she would never
give up under any circumstance.  This old gal has a broken tail that has
long since healed, and a funny little walk that I am assuming comes from
one of two possibilities: arthritis, or maybe some neurological disorder.
It could be anything, but without my vet checking her out, I won't know.
When she runs, one hind foot lifts up higher like she is stepping over an
invisible object on the floor.  It is not the same as a limp, where a
ferret will either keep the foot up and use only the other three, or where
they will put only a little bit of pressure on that foot and quickly step
off it.  When I think about it, it is very much like a skip.  I wish I
could video tape it.  But it is getting more noticeable.
 
I am glad that this oldster will have a chance at having a life filled with
people who love her and will look after her properly.
 
But I have fallen in love with this little lady, skip and all, and I feel
for her because of her age.... I have 12 already, and I feel that I am
starting to push the limits of what I can properly look after.  She is
really a sweetheart and along with her recently adrenal surgeried partner
of four years of age, make a good pair.
 
I will miss them...
 
Betty and Her Blur O'Fur
For the Love of Ferrets...
[Posted in FML issue 3091]