I have been reading the FML for quite some time now.  I figured if I
would read all the stories about other people's ferrets I could learn
a lot and be better prepared for any problems with one of our own four
ferrets.  Last night we lost Spunky, 6 years old, to an accident.  My
husband Paul and I are devastated.  I know it is supposed to get better
but it seems very far away.  This is what Paul wrote last night:
 
"Spunky (A.K.A. Jaws)
Born:?
Crossed the Bridge: June 17th, 2003
 
Tonight Heidi and I had to lay our good friend and companion Spunky to
rest.  It is with an extremely heavy heart that we say goodbye because
it was not his time.  Although the circumstance that lead to his passing
was accidental, I assume responsibility and will have a hard time ever
forgiving myself.  We were collecting the rest of the kids for bed and
could not find the "Punker".  We figured he was holed up somewhere
sleeping as he often did.  After much searching we found him.  It is of
little consolation that his passing was swift.
 
Spunky was our first ferret and one of the finest I have ever met.  We
first met Spunky through a co-worker of mine.  She had a vet friend that
had adopted a ferret from some family up north.  He thought she might
want Spunky to help control pest in her horse barns?!  When she told me
about him I expressed an interest in ferrets.  She offered to let us
adopt him temporarily, if it worked we could keep him.  We went to her
farm where she kept him in a under-sized cage with no litterbox and a
woodchip floor.  Although he was loved by all who rode at her stables,
Spunky longed for a real home.  We bought him the biggest cage we could
find.
 
That was three years ago, Spunky has since taught us a lot about ferrets.
He tricked us into getting three sisters to keep him warm at night.
Spunky tolerated other ferrets but he was really a people ferret (he
especially had a thing for Win who is the only person Spunky loved to
really bite).  He gave the best kisses.  Despite his age, Spunky never
stopped dancing and lived to chase us through the house at full speed.
 
Among his favorite things were:
Wrestling with dad's hand for an hour at a time, gnawing dad's knuckle to
the bone.
Hiding dad's fleece slippers in the couch.
Treats, treats, and treats!
Playing chase the kitties.
Chairing Win.
 
This has been one of the hardest e-mail/letter I have ever had to write.
It will be very hard to wake up in the morning without Spunky gnawing on
my hand to get me out of bed.  I will always be looking for Spunky
trailing behind me, eager to play.
 
I would like to thank Win and Anne Brown for all their help over the
years watching, nursing and loving Spunky.  Thanks to Kris and Mary for
past ferretsitting and mentoring.  I know Spunky appreciated all that
everyone did to make his few years with us good ones.
 
Good night my sweet prince.
Sweet dreams.
 
Mom and Dad miss you."
 
Heidi L.
[Posted in FML issue 4183]