My ferret has a second name.  It's I-F-D-A-S-C-H-U-W-I-T-Z. . . .
 
100% serious.  Two weeks ago, a local shelter mom told me about two litttle
ones looking for a home because their owners were getting new carpeting.  .
.  *whimper* I've been looking since I got little Cody about three months
ago; he needs a playmate(s) very badly.  Tripod Bob is old and crotchety
and does not tolerate other ferrets on his turf.  Lily is old and crotchety
and blind and deaf and is absolutely TERRIFIED of other ferrets if they try
to play with her (she squeals and screams and runs away).  So Cody is left
playing with me (and he doesn't seem to think that I'm very fun most of the
time).  Shannon even agreed to hang on to them for a while (thank you,
thank you, thank you); I'm moving soon and then will be on vacation (what?
a day off?) and want to make the transition as smooth as possible.  I
called and made an appointment to go and visit them and was preparing
myself to walk out with them on the spot; the initial reports were not too
encouraging -- no shots, living in a pet carrier...
 
When I got there, some conditions were better than expected: the pet
carrier was actually large enough to comfortably fit a medium-sized dog and
was well-equipped with a hammock and other necessities.  She brought them
out to play and I met Oscar and Sweet Pea.  They were eating Happy Cat cat
food and were given lots of treats (Oscar was given pretty free access to
potatos -- he ate part of one while I was there).  Various reasons were
given for the surrender (new carpet, 10 month old grandchild, and mommy not
dealing well with death of animals.  .  .better to surrender them).  They
are absolutely the sweetest little kids and -- yes -- they left with me
(darn that ferret math...).  I can't, however, bring myself to call any
animal "Sweet Pea" or "Sweetie" or "Pea" so I had to come up with another
name for her and the name that won was "Ifdaschuwitz."
 
*giggle* (I really had to put some thought into that one. . .)
 
Well, that's not so much a first name as a last name, so I've decided to
just give both of them the subappelate "Ifdaschuwitz" and that way I can
get around the whole Sweet Pea thing and just call her Witzy for short.
 
OSCAR: is going to be one biiiig boy!  He only weighed in at 2-1/2 pounds
last Friday at the vet, but is growing (and his coat is looking sooo much
better) now that he's on a better diet.  Once he puts on his Fall/Winter
weight, I fully expect that he will crest the 4-pound mark.  He's 2-1/2
years old MF sable male and is just a teeny bit nippy but that's OK.  He's
so laid back and calm, too.
 
SWEE... I mean, WITZY: teeny little thing but a real firecracker!  3 year
old MF sable female.  VERY well bite trained and I can tell she's going to
give me a lot of new proofing work to do.  She only spent one night with me
while Shannon got ready for them but managed to get to places to which my
kids haven't even DREAMED of going.  *sigh* She apparently gives lots of
kisses (I don't seem to be on her "OK" list, though, and haven't received
any).
 
On Sunday, Cody and I went to visit them after they had been given a clean
bill of health and -- of course -- he didn't want anything to do with that.
He didn't run away but did cower when they went to investigate him.
*sigh* I'm hoping that that will be better when he's more sure of his
surroundings.  Anyway, I ramble.
 
Dooks to all the fuzzy -- and fuzz-deficient -- faces out there and
condolences to all with sick ferrets or those departed for the bridge.
 
Andy, Cody Lily, Tripod Bob, Oscar, & Witzy
[Posted in FML issue 3103]