I have seen recently the posting of two separate ideas that I believe have
common merit: one person wrote about whether or not they should get another
ferret or what age the second ferret should be (after the death of its
mate), and another person wrote in regards to adoption and that the ferret
was a loner ferret and should be adopted into a home as a single ferret.
 
After 13 years of living with these magnificent creatures, I have yet to
find a ferret that could not find at least one other ferret as its buddy.
I thought I had a loner ferret at one time and her name was Tinder.  She
behaved differently than all the others and she certainly did not like
any of the others.  I naturally assumed that she was meant to be a loner
ferret.  It wasn't until I brought into our home a small female ferret who
was older than Tinder, that I realized that I was wrong.
 
Bear came from a home where she was a loner ferret.  She was being given up
because her "mom" was pregnant and she had concerns for the ferret - not
the baby.  I had always felt that Tinder was missing out on all those
ferrety things because she fought with the others instead of playing with
them.  And although she was an adorable and most loving ferret, sleeping
with us in the bed at night, and giving us lots of attention, I always
hoped that she would find comfort in the company of one of the others.  No
luck.
 
When Bear came home we immediately showed her ot Tinder and told her that
Bear was for her.  It took a very short time, I think about a day, when we
noticed that the two of them became inseparable.  I could not believe my
eyes - it was if my prayers had come true.  I remember crying for joy at
finally finding someone that Tinder accepted.
 
Bear was older than Tinder, but when Tinder left us and left Bear alone,
leaving Bear in great depression, it was the new youngsters, Ping and Mushu
than won her over and made her part of the ferret group again.  The two
boys we have, never accepted Bear until Bear accepted the new girls.  It
is weird and wonderful and the same time.
 
To anyone who has recently lost a ferret, leaving a sole ferret behind, and
to anyone who thinks that a sole ferret will always be a sole ferret, I say
this: do not give up... a potential friend is waiting for them just around
the corner.
 
Betty and Her Blur O'Fur
[Posted in FML issue 2862]