Let me introduce our two new family members...joining Lily and Lany are
Blaze and Champ!  They were 7 weeks old on Sunday.
 
Blaze (female sable blaze) and Champ (male (my first) cinnamon /
champagne???) are brother and sister.  I got them from Paul Ogles in
Leesburg on Saturday.  I even got to meet their mother and father.  Champ
cried a little when Paul took their mother away...talk about breaking your
heart.  He gets extra snuggles and kisses!  I think he may turn out to be my
baby.  Our four hour trip home was quite an adventure.  I stopped four times
to check on them!  In other words, the 3 hour trip became four!  At one
point, I stopped at Arby's.  They were so slow that I left because I was
worrying so about the babies in the hot car.  I was beginning to think that
I was not going to get any food and would faint dead away before we got
home.  I did finally manage to get some food another hour down the road.  I
was smart enough to plan ahead with soft drinks in a cooler but food never
crossed my mind (for the first time in my life, I might add).
 
We went for their first distemper shots yesterday and they both behaved like
all little ferrets always do in public (like little angels).  They were both
pronounced fit and healthy!  Back again in three weeks.
 
Lany is being a little overly-aggressive but we're working on it.  She likes
to grab and shake.  I have literally had ^*&# flung all over me several
times and have had my first experience with ferret scent glands!  I have
been scruffing Lany when the babies start yelling.  She in turn hisses at
me.  I ask her to quit sassing me and then hug and kiss her.  Since she's
deaf, I supervise very closely since she can't hear them yell.  We're also
working on litter boxes.  They have pretty good aim in their cage (well sort
of) but haven't managed to locate the litter boxes around the house.
They're keeping the paper towel companies in business with the clean-ups.
 
I've put the two cages next to each other.  Lily and Lany go to the second
level of theirs and stare down at the babies.  Very cute!  I also switch
their bedding every day.  I let the babies have free-roam of the house when
Lily and Lany are in their cage.  They're having a big time exploring!
Haven't even made it to half of the house yet.
 
     Katharine
     Lily, Lany, Blaze, and Champ
[Posted in FML issue 1985]