I tell ya... you go away for a week or so and the next thing you know you
miss a whole lot!  I'm still catching up on all the last two weeks of FML's
and whew!... you guys can write!  Anyway, I wanted to make mention of two
things that have happened in the last two weeks that may be of interest...
 
Coat Changes
I know it happens twice a year but every time it happens it surprises me...
and I've experienced them for at least 13 years!  Ping, one of the two new
girls came to us with a short under fur only kind of coat.  It was light
grey and soft but seemed to lack the longer hairs typically seen on
ferrets.  Well, spring is here as she is growing in a beautiful longer
coat.  I could hardly believe it was the same ferret.  Her sister Mushu,
who came to us with a normal ferret coat, is dropping the old long hairs
and growing in new ones - but you could hardly tell.  She looks the same.
If it weren't for an occasional brushing, I would not have even known.
 
Bear on the other hand has traded in her unusually long winter coat for
Ping's short under fur coat.  It's weird to see her like this - I mistook
her for Ping often - now I know the shorter haired ferret is Bear.  Funny
how they just switched coats... maybe they know something I don't.  Chook
has also lost his unusually long hair for the shorter kind but maintained
his light yellow to white fur.  Taero has also lost his but has added
weight loss to his list.  It's about time... I was getting worried... he
was at his biggest this winter.
 
I've noticed that some people don't seem to experience this coat change
in their ferrets... I would only be hazarding a guess but it could have
something to do with where you live.  I live in Canada and it would
probably shock you to know that we haven't had any snow for about 2 months
now.  It is an unusual year... we'll be paying for it in an extremely dry
summer.  But we had a weird winter too.  Not very heavy in terms of snow.
Our increase in daylight hours is now very noticeable and that makes me
happy because I need the light.  Now, our ferrets are free roamers and we
also tend not to have a lot of lights on at the best of times - only small
accent lighting and such.  I hate man-made light and use it only when I
have to.  This lighting situation may also have something to do with it as
our ferrets experience natural lighting through all of the windows in our
place.  In winter, when the hours of light are minimum, our shades are
barely drawn.  We live in the dark.  From previous discussions on light
and adrenals I feel it has alot of merit seeing only one out of 14 ferrets
afflicted with it.  Whether it does or not, I cannot prove but it sure
feels good to know that at least the ferrets benefit somehow seeing their
beautiful masks come in along with those great coats.
 
Family Unity
It has taken some time and a lot of patience and I must admit, I didn't
think I was going to see it but it looks like all the kinks have finally
worked themselves out.  The new girls, Mushu and Ping, have now been
accepted by the older ferrets.  I could almost cry I am so happy to see
this change.  For the first time tonight I saw Ping, my girl with the
attitude, sleeping with the boys, Chook and Taero.  I am so pleased.  Mushu
on the other hand has found her buddy in Bear and that did make me cry.  I
hoped beyond all hope that Bear would connect with one of them and I saw
them playing together this afternoon.  It makes me tear up now thinking
about it.  After Bear lost Tinder, I was unsure if Bear would allow someone
else to sleep with her.  Bear herself has been experimenting with the boys
but they never seem to give her peace enough to just let her lay with them.
But now she has Mushu and I couldn't be happier.  Mushu still plays with
her sister Ping, but I feel she senses that Bear is gentler and leans
towards her for comfort.  Ping is a toughie and is a good match for the
boys.
 
I finally have peace... and I couldn't be happier.
 
Betty and her Blur O'Fur
To my ferts:  If only the world could work out their differences like
you do we'd be in a much better place.  But because of you I already am.
[Posted in FML issue 2632]