Hi all,
 
We have the sweetest little bear of a ferret, very loving and gentle, who
came from the shelter almost two years ago.  We think that somewhere along
the line, before he was taken to the shelter, someone hit him and hurt his
nose, and I sometimes just want to cry thinking about it.
 
He was a "grabber" when we got him--he would grab you with his teeth to get
attention and it was a little hard, but we knew he was a sweetheart and not
trying to bite, so we just pretended to cry and whimpered "ow!" every time,
and cuddled him and gave him a reward, and he doesn't do that any more.  We
theorize that some previous owner thought our angel was trying to bite and
smacked and whacked poor Monty on his dear little nose, because people told
him or her that was the thing to do.
 
Monty is not visibly damaged--he is a big gorgeous strong handsome sable,
and people who meet him are amazed because he is so huge and so gentle.  He
washes my face with kisses and loves to be held while he washes his feet.
 
However, he seems to have absolutely no sense of smell whatever--a real
contrast from every other ferret I've ever known.  He has problems sitting
up and taking crunchies from my hand--he squinches and twists his little
face and frequently he'll get it and then drop it immediately--again,
different from every other ferret I've met.
 
In fact, he has taught me to put the crunchies on the floor so that it is
easier for him to pick up.  He looks at the food, then at me and then at
the floor and that is his way of communicating with me, telling me to put
it where he can get it without difficulty.
 
He is such a sweet, loving, appreciative, sunny fellow and we have promised
him that we will never, ever hit him and I think he understands that.  All
my ferrets have loved me, but Monty adores me--and his dad, too.
 
Can you imagine sitting in the living room actually eating ice cream, with
a ferret loose in the room and NOT smelling it?  Monty has to lick and lick
the pieces of ferret food we give him as treats to make certain that it
really is a TF crunchie, while his brother can smell the crunchies and will
eagerly sit up to snatch it out of your hand in one impatient gulp!
 
It brings tears to my eyes to think that someone hit my beautiful little
friend, and it makes me angry to think that someone may have done that
because "informed" people said that was what you were supposed to do.  We
have the best little bear-ferret in the world, but he can't smell worth a
d*** and I just had to write and tell everybody so.
 
Kate, Monty the little bear-ferret (3 lbs. 13 oz.!) and Madison the dapper
dashing, and debonair
[Posted in FML issue 3007]