Hello to all, We are relatively new ferret owners, in our first
year...still learning about dealing with nail clipping, treats and baths
and fleas...other health or vaccination issues are still sketchy to me...
We started out with a desire to own 2 ferrets despite the prohibitve
expense...and ended up with 6 by fostering for those who found out too late
they were not able to keep them where they lived..(We live near an army
base and families at the base are constanly purchasing pets that are not
acceptable...)My question is: When do I know a baby needs vaccinations if
i have adopted from someone who isn't sure themselves and can't find their
paper work... Shall I have shots done bi-yearly or only once in a lifetime?
Shall I assume they were given a basic set of vaccinations and then proceed
to have them done every 6 months after we receive them?  ...
 
Also, I want to share some of the joy they have brought to us in being part
of the family... They live freely in the 2 central rooms with occasional
access to the kitchen and from there under the floor by the sink or
accidently the front entrance where the stairs lead to the attic...they are
so playful, we watch one as she makes her way through to the hiding place
with my calculator, or my glasses and have to think she wants to be an
accountant eventually... she grabs all pencils and erasers from the desk...
there is another who likes to roll in the pencils box..and they all sleep
together in the crayons pile... in the bottom draw of the desk..  it's so
funny..we open the drawer at night to make a head count and there are 4
wrapped around each other..  so then I check the cage and one might be
snuggled in the hammock..another in my quilt...they are so fond of our
sandles and sneakers and socks... it's a task sometimes tracking their
hiding spots... but interestingly enough they share the same spots for
keeping their stash and there are usually equal numbers of collectibles per
thief, 4... is the limit per fert in each spot... so I can count 4 erasers
and 4 rubber toys and 4 small containers from the homeopathic kit, which
they work together on climbing up to the bureau to get at... one will shove
and nose the case to the edge and tumble down with it the others are there
to receive and they take turns nudging and climbing and pulling at until
they pop the lid..and each have their own favorites to haul off..  it's
pretty consistent...lately a couple of have discovered what fun it is
digging into my plants...they have decimated a few Christmas cactus we have
had for years...sadly...and they enjoy the roots of my geraniums a lot...
but what a mess.....they hide the squeaky toys so that we can't bother
them but I have discovered the alternative to getting their attention
is sweeping the floor ..  apparently the scratching noise is very
irritating.....We have given up on trying to keep collars on them because I
find they have crawled under the covers and swish sideways backwards over
and over until they wriggle out of them and later at night I hear jingles
when I roll over... collars trapped in blankets, no ferrets!  I can't tell
you how much I enjoy this life..  It's a shame we can't be ferrets too!
They are so full of life and joy and always accepting and loving ...
there's a lot we can learn from hanging out with these wonderful
spirits.....
 
Dooks to all, kathy and the growing gang...
[Posted in FML issue 3226]