I have been involved with ferrets for about 15 years.  One thing that
always puzzeled me is people only announce when their ferrets pass away.
Of course I have been there - and having two oldsters (one I went to
jail for) I live in fear that their day is coming.  Every morning I am
grateful they are with me, healthy and wanting their treats.
 
But one thing I do as an activist with Ferrets Anonymous is announce when
I get a ferret.  I wrote this for our Bulletin when I got Augie this past
September...
 
Announcing A New Addition
 
Here at Ferrets Anonymous, or anywhere ferret owners congregate,
discussion often involves those ferrets who have departed.  I believe we
should discuss those ferrets who have arrived, so please meet Augie.
 
Augie was purchased from Las Vegas this September.  Before dashing home
we stopped off at the Exotics Plus pet store.  When the pet store finally
opened, I could not find the ferrets.  "We have three left" the clerk
told me.  And on the bottom shelf, in a hamster cage, were the ferrets.
 
"They're monsters" the clerk told me.  "No wonder we haven't sold them."
And out popped three aggressive ferrets.  They were in the pet store at
six weeks of age, and these three stayed there another six weeks with
little attention and at least one clerk who was afraid of them.
 
The hard part is only picking one, but I did.  Outside the pet store
was a sign by a real estate agent, "Call Augie" it said.  So the ferret
became Augie.  There was another sign for Jeff Deidrich DDS, but that's
no name for a ferret.
 
Augie made it home OK, slept the whole way.  I thought he died somewhere
along the way, he was so quiet.  The checkpoint on 15 was closed.
 
We spent a couple of weeks working on his biting.  He bit one person
pretty good and I found both of them screaming at the top of their
lungs.  Not good for either party - it did a lot of damage in the trust
department.
 
Then off to the vet's for vaccinations and a check up.  Ear mites turned
up, and because I put all ferrets together, everyone got checked for
earmites.  $$$$$$$
 
Augie continued to grow.  He would look natural with a beer and TV remote
control.  The other ferrets didn't warm up to him, but the cat thought he
was a blast.  As time goes by, I find him finally sleeping with the other
ferrets more than by himself.
 
He seems to be the most energetic ferret I've ever had.  At times I wish
I had a clone so they'd keep each other busy.  I wish I could take him
outside and places, he is so social and curious.  But I don't dare.
He'll have to be content to be hidden as another California ferret.
 
***
 
Lastly, I'd like to thank the people who have taken such good care of
their ferrets.  We are all going to die, time is very limited.  It seems
to me the ferrets who's passing was announced Thanksgiving Day on the
FML had the greatest humans take care of them - they were very lucky.
 
Pat Wright
[Posted in FML issue 4345]