When I read of a ferret passing it effects me deeply where I know of how
the feelings are in the owners left behind.  These little weasels become
part of the family for sure and embed themselves into your heart deeply.
 
These guys are not like a cat or a dog that will remember their names, or
learn commands.  They pretty much are what you get is what you get kind
of animal but they have such personality.  Mine come to me for attention
and return it is their own way.  One has to learn how they 'talk' to us
and they actually do that frequently.  They will tell you what they want
and how they feel, one just has to learn how they communicate with their
body language.
 
I have had as many as 8 ferrets here at one time, but 5 were mine where
the others were here for babysitting.  Of the 5 only two were store
bought and were my first ferrets.  Byte-me was the very first, then I
got Nibble-ed for her to have company.  Nibble-ed was a very different
ferret.  She was not at all sociable and would just look at someone and
lean out and clamp on with a good healthy bite and stay latched on.  Have
no idea why she did that but is how she behaved.  Raisin time was a trial
for me where Nib loved any sweets but especially raisins and would
'clamp' them out of my fingers taking the finger tip or the whole finger
every time if I wasn't careful.  I had always told people if I had to
choose a ferret to loose it would be Nib.  She passed at the end of
spring this year from cancer.  She would come to me and lay her head on
my toes, that communication thing I was talking about.  Her cancer was
far too advanced when I found it for surgery.  She did not seem to be in
pain but could see the gradual decline in her body.  The last 3 weeks or
so she lived in a small box in the kitchen never moving more than 5 feet
or so from the box, only coming out to eat and decorate the paper.  But
the last night she went to the opposite end of the house and actually got
up onto the bed and under the covers like she always used to do.  When I
went to bed could feel her little body there and was glad to have her as
usual, but she left hitting the rug with a crash, a terrible crash.  When
I got up Nib was in the hall along the wall stone cold stiff.  Was so
very sad, I had nightmares over it and miss her very much.  Nib was
incredibly smart and could get up onto anything anywhere.  Was amazing
what that little animal could figure out.
 
Podo came with Kodo as two rescues out of North Carolina.  Podo had a
huge lump in his belly when he came here and was in bad shape then.  He
lasted about 45 days and I had to put him down.  He was such a good and
gentle boy.  He would lick my fingers when I opened the cage, was always
so glad to have any attention.  Would have loved to have him around far
much longer but was not to be.  Kodo, his brother, is still with me as
is Byte-me.
 
Bud was another rescue from Va Beach (Thanks Carol McCraig!!!!) He was a
happy little guy, most anything was just OK with him!  He got along well
with everyone and loved to get attention.  He won a ribbon at the state
fair for having the shortest whiskers, but what happened he stuck his
head into the fire place to see what that fire stuff was and his whiskers
were 'trimmed'.  Ha!  But it got him a ribbon which I still proudly
display.  Bud had some organ failure in his lower body.  One day I came
home and his two rear legs were totally stiff and sticking out straight
so that his toes were even with his face.  He used his front legs which
were working normally to scurry to me dragging his butt.  He came to me
instantly as he saw me, was telling me "Hey I hurt, can you help????".  I
picked him up and he was so glad for my attention, just lay in my arms
quiet while I massaged his legs to unstiffen those muscles until his legs
worked again.  He didn't want me to put him down so I didn't.  Was hand
feeding him 3 times a day with duck soup, he also was living in a box but
in the family room where I could keep an eye on him.  He was making good
progress to getting more weight and being more active until one morning
I went to feed him, got the feeder and duck soup all warmed up and the
towel ready.  Found him sleeping on the floor on the porch and went to
pick him up, he was stiff.  My heart sank to new levels of low.  But this
happens.
 
Over all the ferrets that have passed were a part of me.  They cannot
smile where they don't have those muscles but you can see them smile in
how they behave.  Each has a personality very different than the next one
but they all have some traits that can be depended on.  It was real fun
to have all 5 out in the living room all at once playing and getting into
trouble.  I wouldn't trade those experiences for all the tea in China and
was truly blessed to have each and every one of them.
 
Right now, Kodo (a big male) is healthy as a horse and full of spunk.  He
'talks' to me all the time dooking all over the rug all the time.  Such a
good guy.  Byte-me (a female) is a few months younger (5 this month) but
showing her age a bit.  She bit so much when I first got her almost got
rid of her but I stuck it out, glad I did, she now is the sweetest powder
puff there ever was.  Am so very glad to have the experience to get to
know ferrets, having just one is not enough ever to learn.  Am glad to
have these rescues and glad to give a rescue a good home.
 
Gordon, Byte-me and Kodo
Remembering Podo, Bud and Nibble-ed
[Posted in FML issue 4263]