Slinkometer here -
 
Penny LaPage wrote:
>In my opinion I would adopt a ferret from the shelter which is at least a
>year old.  We have bought two kits in the past.  We have adopted five
>ferrets from the shelters.  Our kits both have been very tempermental.
 
**PAWS FOR APPLAUSE**
 
Yes, SHELTER FERRETS ARE THE BEST - no question about it!  The Boss adopted
my brother, Spaghetti and first sister, Nala, from Kymberlie (then) Becker
of the Pennsylvania Ferret Rescue Association, and, after Nala *sniff*
Crossed the Bridge due to juvenile lymphoma, she adopted my other brother,
Simba, and second sister also named Nala (total coincidence, I assure you)
from Vickie McKimmey.  All of us got along marvelously from the very
beginning, being well-adjusted adults with the kinks of kithood sorta
worked out of our systems.
 
Then came.....THE BRAT.
 
Before I go any further, I want to set my forepaw down about something.  I
want NO ONE flaming The Boss for being acquired by a petstore ferret.  As
well as working her fulltime government job, she had been a caregiver for an
elderly lady for sixteen months - four nights a week and every other weekend
- and loved her very much.  Unfortunately after three different
hospitalizations over the course of a month, she died peacefully at home the
Tuesday morning after Easter.  The Boss, needless to say, was heartbroken
and is still grieving for her.  She stopped by Petco a day or two later just
to see the kits....and saw one BLACK female....not sable, not chocolate, but
BLACK....white muzzle and white-tipped ears and the rest of her was varying
shades of black.  She was the tiniest one there - four or five weeks old,
able to fit in TB's hand (and chew it at the same time).  It would've taken
a far stronger heart than TB's to resist that imp....especially a heart that
was already engulfed in grief.  Although TB never ever thought she'd get a
ferret from a petstore, the fact that the kit was the most unusual looking
ferret she'd ever seen coupled with her grief and need for some element of
joy....well, anyway, that's how the Fursome Foursome became the Alive Five.
 
And why we never get a moment's rest now....at least no more than fourteen
or fifteen hours.  This durned BRAT insists on crawling all over us, chewing
our ears and tails, and tackling us even after we've dragged her all over
the place.  Unfortunately she's also a TeleFerret....she's everywhere AT
ONCE.  Her name's Whazzat (slurred version of "What's that?") and she sees
everyone as her chewtoy - little snot.  She thinks the whole world is her
box of raisins....
 
**grumble**
 
A Much Mauled Moondancer
 
 The Alive Five
 
Slinky The  Moondancer:      "Dogs and cats, no doubt, are cool..."
Spaghetti the JoyBouncer:    "But s/he who loves ferts "
Simba the Lionheart:            "Is no one's fool..."
Nala the White Swan:          "So face it, humans - "
Whazzat the Bear Cub:       "FERRETS RULE!"
[Posted in FML issue 2307]