Howdy,
I'm usually a lurker, but I felt the need to share my Hagerstown rescue
baby story.
 
When I first heard about the Hagerstown ferrets, my heart went out to all
of those poor abused and deprived ferrets.  I had no intentions of adding
another ferret to my crew, but when I came across the picture of an
incredibly pissed off looking blaze, I fell in love!  That little blaze
was Oops.  Oops was a very distrusting young lady at first.  I was told
her name came about because of the phrase 'Oops, she bit me!' I traveled
down to Rocky's this summer to pick up Oops and help out at the shelter.
Meeting Oops in person was a wonderful experience.  This semi-aggressive
biter was an angel for me.  Her one problem was that she was VERY
dominant towards other ferrets.  Oops is a very different looking
ferret... she is short and stocky, with a stub tail, and with her blaze
she looks very much like a little badger.  This tiny little pip of a
ferret would tackle the largest hobs with no fear!  And she would win! :)
 
I was a little nervous when I first got her home and introduced her to my
crew.  I had no worries about her and my Bad Boyz, Beezle and Bino, but
I worried about how she would treat my current alpha ferret, Sugar.
Sugar was an elderly ferret suffering from insulinoma.  She was not very
strong, and she did NOT get along well with other ferrets.  She tolerated
the boys, but never wanted anything to do with them.  I worried that Oops
would tackle her and hurt her.  I needn't have worried.  The first time
Oops and Sugar came face to face, one squeal from Sugar and Oops backed
right down.  Soon I was amazed to see these two ladies seeking each other
out and sleeping curled up in a ball together.  Miss Sugar, who never had
a friend before, had finally found one!  Oops took wonderful care of my
SugarLove, watching over her when the boys got too rambunctious, and
cleaning her ears for her.  My Sugar passed away last week, but it
comforts me to know that she finally had a friend.
 
Oops is finally learning how to act like a real ferret now.  She is still
a little nippy when she gets wound up, but now she knows how to play and
dance and dook.  She is finally beginning to seek people out for
attention, instead of hiding under the cage whenever anyone walks into
the ferret room.  This poor little girl, who never had a chance to play
before, now has the rest of her life to ENJOY herself.
 
I spent several days at Rocky's this summer after my trip to get Oops.
Our days down there were full of cleaning, medicating, vaccinating, and
socializing these poor ferrets.  Although I do rescue myself, the sheer
scope of what Barb had to deal with never ceased to amaze me.  With all
of these Hagerstown kids, plus her current shelter kids, she never got
discouraged and I swear I never saw her slow down!  Even amongst the
seemingly never-ending task of cleaning and caring for these kids, Barb
always found time to talk to, cuddle, and love each and every one of
those ferrets.  I count myself lucky both for being able to adopt such
a special ferret as Oops, and for having the chance to spend some time
at Rocky's and learn from one of the best!  I always came away from my
visits to help filthy, tired, and smelly, but having learned a TON of
new stuff!
 
Meri
Scales & Tails Rescue
~~
Meri Martin
Scales & Tails Exotic Pet Rescue - http://www.scalesandtails.org
Website Design - http://design.purpledragon.org
[Posted in FML issue 4275]