Alicia who is new: there are almost 3,200 FML members.  If you assume that
perhaps the average is 5 ferrets per person (That allows for people who
have one or two, but also shelter keepers who have 50 or more, but you can
use a smaller number if you prefer.) it would place the number of ferrets
involved here at around 16,000.  The number of ferrets whose deaths or
health problems get mentioned is so SMALL compared to 16,000, isn't it?
 
The health posts can be very important.  Look at the recent posts from
people who knew from health posts to save ahead of time toward serious
medical needs; knowing to do that has saved some ferrets.  Look at the
posts from people seeking extra medical information.  The answers to those
questions also save lives.  Look at the posts about zoonotics; being
informed helps break the chain and stop the spread.
 
Be patient with people when they seek sympathy; I know that Steve and I
have been there -- heartbroken and hurting -- and were helped a huge amount
due to others being so kind.
 
I know that you were NOT bashing people who seek medical help, or need a
shoulder to cry on.  Many people DO skip over the info at the top of the
FML so don't know how to use many of the features or don't realize how
very MANY members and their ferrets are out there (or both) and you may
well be concerned about how they would interpret health and death posts
as a result.  All that I can say is that I hope that people DO read those
sections and pay attention to the information there, and that people DO
continue to help each other.  We've been helped so much by the FML
members over the years; you will find that you also will be emotional and
intellectually sheltered and nurtured (in addition to sometimes being
flamed -- it's a LARGE group so think of variations in any group the size
of a town).
 
The level of pain caused by losing them is so great because they are so
wonderful.  Losing those who don't matter to us doesn't hurt.  Steve and
I have had ferrets in the family for around 18 years (no where NEAR the
record here on the FML) and they are WORTH the pain felt when they are
gone.  Looking at loss is like looking at a glass with water half way up.
Just as some people think about the water being half gone already some
people avoid any relationship which might eventually cause pain so miss out
on large emotions.  Others figure that it's better to know joy as well as
pain and they are like the people who know that the glass is half full --
they find the pain that will eventually come to be the important
compliment to the joy which ferrets give.  Sure there are ferrets, people,
experiences, heck -- even body shapes -- which we all miss as time makes
its changes but, as you have probably guessed, it's a very wealthy person
in terms of life-lived who gets to look back at fine memories and consider
herself or himself lucky to have been so often and so well blessed.  No
amount of money (beyond that for necessities), or caution, or title, or
status symbol can bring that sort of good fortune.
 
That said, yes, the FML has had a LOT of sad things recently and needs a
bit more of the fun stuff to leven it.
 
Yesterday old Meeteetse climbed under the platform bed again -- this time
with no injury.  She's really been gaining muscle well.
 
We actually have all seven of the ferrets in one large cage overnight
now!!!!!!  (About time, right?) Seven is getting MUCH better at
socializing.  It's interesting.  We had a very rigid dominance pattern
among our guys for a very long time, but now it is becoming more of a mixed
pattern.  (Bob had some excellent posts about such patterns in the past in
case anyone wants to look those up.)
 
Ashling has DESTROYED my Egyptian mint -- just decimated it.  She loves to
roll in and eat the stuff, and now it's down to a few sprigs form having
filling a good sized pot.  Steve and I put the dangerous plants up high in
a few places they actually can't reach (famous last words -- up it's worked
so far), but we leave the herbs accessible for when they are in the front
of the condo.  Ashling was eating thyme yesterday.  That's not one of her
most favorite but she loves most cooking herbs with a strong scent.
Meltdown was the same way, but her personal favorite was garlic chives.
Ashling's is either the mint or the Cuban Basil, followed closely by
oregano.  What fresh herbs do YOUR ferrets like?  Oh, and Ashling likes
us to admire her when she's covered with herb smells.  It's like when she
enjoys having lipstick on her nose and showing that off.  Can't you just
see a domestic ferret older sister helping her sib get ready for a first
date: "Let's rub some of the oregano on your back -- oh, that's good.
Here's the lipstick -- that's right, let's get your entire nose.  Now,
remember, no butt sniffing till the second date no matter how much
Ferretone and Nutrical he buys for you!"
 
Oldest ferret that I have heard about with documentation according to the
poster was 14 years.  Oldest we've had was about 9.  She was pretty quiet
by then and we even got a small aquarium and moved a case near her cage so
that she could watch the fish which she turned out to love doing -- eyes
still good.  That was Haleakala who owned my belly button and who actually
had names for each of us.  Steve's sounded suspiciously like "milk" which
may have something to do with him spoiling her with a treat she could
handle till very old, and the one for me was a somewhat dismissive snort.
She had a preference for Steve, except when it came to navels.  She was a
very bossy old lady with delicately tiny hands and feet.
[Posted in FML issue 2968]