This is my first post. I had no idea there was a Ferret Forum!
 
I have a WONDERFUL ferret named Furrity.  He is my fourth ferret.
 
My first ferret was a hand-me-down.  I received him when he was about a
year old.  He had been mistreated, and so he had poor health.  But, he had
LOTS of love, and he was very intelligent.  He could learn any trick for a
marshmallow.  His name was Riki.  I took him to the vet who told me he had
chronic pneumonia and severe lung damage (holes in his lungs).  I thought I
was going to lose him, but I nursed him night and day, using an eye dropper
to give him Robitussin and watermelon juice.  He got better and lived for
another five years!  He was about 8 years old when he died.
 
My second ferret was Otis.  He was a sale ferret from a pet store.  I loved
him very much, but he was not very smart.  I always figured he was inbred.
He also loved marshmallows (although he could not learn to do tricks).  He
also loved stuffed animals and would hide all that he could get a hold of,
usually behind the refrigerator.  He only lived to be 5 years old.
 
My third ferret came from a local ferret breeder.  He was isolated from all
the others because he fought with them, and he would bite people.  I took
him and named him Fairbeast.  I could not pick him up for a month.  I was
beginning to wonder if I had done the right thing.  But with lots of love
and patience, he became so loving and docile that I eventually took him as
Show-and-Tell to my daughter's kindergarten class!  He lived for 9 years!
He was very feeble and rickety his last year or two.  I gave him specific
instructions on how to die.  I said, "Fairbeast, it is time for you to
pass.  I want you to go quietly and peacefully in your sleep." But, no, he
did just the opposite.  One a 4th of July holiday weekend at 11:00 PM, he
developed seizures and screamed horrifically with each one.  I was freaking
out of my mind!  I called several vets, none of whom wanted to help me in
the middle of the night on a holiday weekend.  I finally found one who
reluctantly agreed to meet me at his office at 1:30 AM.  His attitude
changed to one of compassion when he realized the situation, and Fairbeast
was put to sleep.  After 16 years of continuous ferret companionship, I
said "No more ferrets!  I can't handle that again!"
 
I went 10 months ferretless.  A friend of my husband got a ferret.  My
husband said, "You are going to end up with that ferret." And sure enough,
within a month, I once again had a ferret.  He is Furrity, and he is very
intelligent and feisty and friendly.  He just turned one year old.  He went
through a toe-biting stage, but now rarely touches toes.  He looks forward
to visiting his grandmother's house and being rocked in her glider rocker
and playing with my two year old nephew.  He is so very special!  I love
his cute face, I love his little ears, I love his little beady eyes, I
love his whiskers, I love his feet, I love his belly, I love his fur.  I
just love him ALL over!  He is my little Favorite Friend!
 
Peace in Christ!
Melanie
[Posted in FML issue 2951]