About a week ago, I was in a pet shop and had the misfortune of finding that
the shop had a ferret that was kept in the back in a cage and had been that
way since her birth.  She is an albino, 8 months old and descented, but
raised primarily for breeding.  The owners of the pet store had never delt
with ferrets and didn't like them.  This little ferret was okay as long as
she could sniff my hand, but as soon as I went to pick her up, she bit me.
The store owners said she was in the back because she had attacked another
customer and could only be handled with gloves.  My best friend (who owns
two ferrets) and I (I own one, Abu) have been talking about getting this
little ferret to try and take care of her.  The pet store has decided to
have her put down.  My question is, does anybody know if she will ever be
trainable (only one person has ever been able to handle her) and will she
quit biting?  She doesn't just nip, she ripped my thumb open and was
actually hanging by it.  Is it worth it to try and get her and have her
spayed and given all of her shots or does anybody know?  If I could save
her, I would love to, but I don't want the expenses to be such that I can't
afford to take care of her, that isn't fair to her either.
 
If anybody has any advice, my friend and I could use it right about now.  I
think that this little ferret was very abused, but am not sure if love and
good handeling at this point will even help.
 
Thank you in advance for any help we can get.
 
Love,
Laura
Abu ("Mom, why do people have to be so mean to us?")
Trixie ("My papa would never allow this to happen to me")
Rafiki ("Does this mean I get a new friend?  I can play even more")
[Posted in FML issue 1807]