As usual I was looking thru the ads for pets in the want ad section
despite dh's stern no-no's.  I just want to check up on who is getting
rid of ferrets.  If they are given away or have a problem as usual I will
stick my nose in it.  Ok in Sunday's paper, there was an ad for a ferret
baby with one bag of food.  Hey I called them at 7 AM Sunday morning --
bet that was a joy to them) and left a message on their answering
machine.  5 minutes later, a very sweet sounding young woman called me
back--I asked her if it was two ferrets as in ferret and her baby or
what.  It seems as though she had just got this ferret kit two days ago
and found that she and her dh were allergic to her.  Poor little ferret.
I wanted to strangle her (not literally) as she said they were sneezing
around the baby etc.  Now this is the beginning of the allergy season in
MO, so it may have been just an ordinary allergy not necessaryily the
ferret's fault.  I asked if she had a cage and no she said the baby slept
in a basket and she carried it around all day.  I suggested taking it to
the vet's to check for ear mites as that might cause her allergies.  Also
that she might try bathing the kit to see if it was her dander that might
be causing it.  She wanted $125 for her-which is regular price.  I told
her that she might find it difficult to sell as I knew the store and that
is the going price.  I also told her that I rescue--read if its a biter
or parents dont want it, or bored with it, etc.  that I usually get them
given to me.  I told her sad ferret tales about ferrets being thrown out
to fend for themselves or sold to people who would abuse the baby.  I
also told her that if she could find no one else to buy the baby that I
would try to come up with some money maybe $50 for her.
 
I felt so sorry for the baby girl.  Just two days in her new home and she
is unwanted.  I wanted to cry oops correct that I did cry.  People just
see these little darlings and always a ferret is an impulse buy.  I know
the owners of the pet store buy the furrie kits from a private breeder
and often the little darlings come to them much too young as they are
still crying for their mommies.  I also feel sorry for the ferret mommy
who is bred constantly for extra money.  And of course I dont think they
wait till they are eight weeks old.  Please everyone out there send a
prayer for this litt le kit who is helpless in this matter.  No I dont
have $125--I have numerous giveaways from shelters, an ads in the paper.
Such as my latest Mickey aka Mickey Mouth who is a biter with the best
of them--I have got him to the point where he just nips rather than
crunches.  I have to be careful as I am a diabetic and I dont need extra
germies around.  But he is thriving with good ferret food and no longer
Walmart cat food.
 
Love and prayers needed to all the unwanted, spur of the moment purchases
of kits who have no choice.  I will definitely send a special note to my
friend SaraFerret and Sandee for a quite post to their Boss.  Sometimes
you wonder about people.  But I do wish people would get ferrets for
dummies before purchasing their babies.
 
Sorry for venting--I am so tired of people dumping their ferrets for no
reason.  I can see lack of money, living conditions, almost any reason
except they just dont want them after a couple of days.  I do not run
a rescue, although dh says I must have a sign on my door that invites
homeless, unwanted ferrets to move in.  I checked and the only sign I
could find was Beware of Attack Ferrets.
 
[CE]
[Posted in FML issue 4467]