Well, I finally got Chip n Dale to a ferret vet today.  Chip n Dale were
rescues that I adopted about four months ago.  The former owner claimed he
was off to college and couldn't take them.  He promised he would have them
vaccinated before giving them up.  Well, they arrived at my house through a
third party, no shots, very little info.  Fortunately for me, they are nice
ferrets, devoted to each other (although they never did make friends with my
darling Cody) very lovey, no biting, pretty hopeless in the litter
department.
 
The ferret vet is new, right in my town, had a nice clean office and a
gentle low-key manner.  Says he has a lot of ferrets in his practice.  I was
most eager to get distemper shots for these guys, and he gave them their
shots and a decent check-up for a total of $15 each.  Believe me, that is
VERY reasonable for around here.  Best news is that Chip n Dale, suspected
to be 5 to 6 years old, are indeed quite healthy and show no signs of any
problems.
 
The vet confirmed that Dale, as I suspected, is blind.  It doesn't bother
her one bit - she is very active, runs all around, just doesn't chase toys
or show interest in things she can't sniff and eat.  Chip acts as her
seeing-eye ferret, often accompanying her on her rounds.  He travels sort of
glued to her shoulder.  She is a tiny scrawny silvery badger blaze type, he
is a giant BEW.  She lets him escort her for a while, then grabs him by the
neck and tries to stuff him under the bookcase.  He flattens out, waits for
her to stop dragging him around, then gets up and escorts her some more.
They love nothing more than a brown paper bag from the grocery store, which
they play in and out of for hours, attacking, dooking, stalking, etc.
 
I get so worried reading on the FML about adrenal disease and insulinoma and
all these other awful things that happen to elderly ferrets.  Guess I'm
awfully lucky to have these two.  Cody is only two and so adorable, but I
have given up on the three of them ever getting along.  They actually injure
each other and cause wounds!  Sigh.  They have to have separate play times.
Fortunately Chip n Dale sleep A LOT.  Guess it's because they're old guys.
I know how they feel.
 
All three have no problems with the cats and dog.  One cat plays joyously
with any of them; one cat hides; the dog worries and watches and gets out of
the way when they try to play with her.  She "only" weighs 85 pounds so she
is pretty afraid of the ferrets.
 
I saw Becca's note on the FML and privately e-mailed her some names and
phone numbers to help her find an adoptable ferret or two.  There's a good
group here on Long Island called the New York Ferrets Rights Advocacy.  Hope
she finds a special new ferret!  Anyone else looking for ferret connections
on Long Island let me know.
 
Kat
[Posted in FML issue 1643]