There will be chortlin' and dookin' in North Carolina tonight!  This is a
story I just have to share with everyone!  It's a little long, but has a
happy ending.  We are always wondering how long a ferret might stay away
before being found or returning home.  You will be happy to hear the story
of five, count 'em, five wayward ferrets who managed to escape last Monday,
May 20.
 
About 4:00 that afternoon, my phone rang.  Apparently my friend Robin had
returned from taking her husband to work (a 15 minute trip)to discover that
her doors were open.  She had not caged her 8 ferrets because it was only
for a few minutes.  (We all know that feeling - it will take longer to find
and cage them all than to run out for a few minutes!)  In that short time,
5 of the 8 discovered the opening and went out to explore the *new room.*
Tikki, Cinnamon, Waddlesworth, Flower and Molly escaped last Monday about
11 am.
 
Waddlesworth was caught immediately upon Robin's return as he naively
celebrated his escape with a victory dance in the front yard - neophyte!
She ran inside to discover 4 more missing.
 
When I arrived to help search, I learned that Molly was snatched up about
4:30 pm as she returned for a treat to the call of a squeaky toy.  2 safe,
3 to go.
 
Cinnamon was grabbed by an alert searcher about 7:30 pm when he wandered
out from the storage shed.  We were making fliers at that time and were
so excited and hopeful.  3 safe, 2 to go.
 
Flower literally ran to the front door and scratched to come in at 10:45pm.
That great news was waiting for me on my answering machine when I got home
that night!  4 safe, 1 to go.
 
But no Tikki.  The next two days searchers continued to come and literally
trampled through the woods and combed the neighborhood.  There were so many
places a 2 pounder could hide!  The dogs would search, too, looking for
their little friend.  Every time someone drove down the dead-end street,
we squeaked toys and called Tikki by name.  Cages and food were left out,
just in case ...
 
Saturday morning Robin got a call from a woman in a nearby town who had
seen the newspaper ad and found a ferret at the local wildlife pond.  She
thought it may be Robin's.  No, it wasn't.  But, it was a gorgeous healthy
looking sable male who was a little skittish.  Seeing how he had survived,
hope resurged for Tikki.
 
On Sunday we had a club meeting and took all the critters.  And missed
Tikki.  But the newbie went home with a new mom.  Afterwards, our hosts
decided to clean up some and the husband was going to wash out the pet
carrier that had been left out front, remember, just in case?  Why?
There was a poopie in it!  Robin said, Don't!  Leave it there!  So, they
set a live trap in the front yard (it had been out back) and this morning,
it was sprung.  Hubby checked it out, returning to tell Robin, Hmm,
somebody needs a bath! and carrying, you got it - Tikki!  5 wayward
weasels, all home safe!
 
Tikki was a little thinner and dirty, but safe.  He has a bruise on his
back, a cut over his eye, and possibly a cold.  Thank goodness he had his
rabies and distemper vaccines.  Tomorrow he gets a vet check.  The little
weasel outwitted us all.  He returned on his own.  Just in time, too.
All those posters we hung had ink-jet pics.  The rain washed them away.
I guess Someone knew we wouldn't need them anymore!  We are so happy he's
home safe.  Never give up hope.
 
renee :)& the sex-estential ferrets
[Posted in FML issue 3432]