The tiny terror Dervish is quite well, and for the record, she is a MF
ferret and she has no winter coat.  This might have something to with us
being in 80-degree Texas weather, but who knows?  She doesn't seem to have
gained winter weight.  She's pretty small, about 1 lb.  But what she lacks
in stature she makes up for in vigor.  :-)
 
I'd like to say a word about something embedded in one shelter operator's
post to the FML within the last few days.  This person mentioned a policy
that college students are not allowed to adopt ferrets from the shelter on
matter of principle.  I am a college student now, and consider myself to
be a pretty darn good ferret mommy.  (And I know that not everyone is like
that, that's not my point.)  I would suggest that the owner of the shelter
take special consideration of college students, and after reviewing them,
then decide if they are good adoption candidates.  I can understand the
valid reasons behind the policy, but they're not applicable in all cases.
My baby won't be abandoned for weekends when I go home for the holidays...
it's a twenty minute drive home.  I take her to class and to work with me
sometimes, and she gets sooooo much attention from all of my friends.  If
anything, I think my college lifestyle is good for her.  She gets to meet a
lot of people and be socialized.  I have the time and inclination to play
with her.  (I'm awake---usually studying or writing a paper!---whenever she
wants to play in the middle of the night!)
 
I've never run a shelter, so far be it from me to even attempt to tell
anyone what to do...that's just a suggestion and my $.02.  (If and when I
get another ferret, it will probably be from a shelter.  That was my
original intention the first time, but I just fell in love with Dervish in
the pet store.  :-)
 
My horrid roommate is gone for good now, so it's just me and Derv here
until January, when we move to my parents' house.  The roommate has stiffed
me on $100 of the December rent, $200 of her long distance, and I have to
pay the accelerated rent ($800 a month) by myself unless someone moves in.
But Dervish is no longer in danger from Emily's carelessness, and that's
the important thing.  I'd gladly pay a million dollars to keep my baby safe.
 
Now, the official question of the day.  I'm one of those people with a
wire-bottom cage.  I've had carpet or cloth covering it up but I'd like to
start using linoleum now.  How do you affix the tiles to the bottom of the
cage so they don't slide around?
 
(TX) Meghan and Great-High-Queen-Sheba Dervish the WonderFerret, the Cutest
Ferret in the Whole Wide World ("Linoleum tile?  I expect Italian marble!")
[Posted in FML issue 2516]