Concerning the person who asked about changing ferret names...My ferrets
have learned their names, though coming to them is another thing (only if
they feel like it).  I think though they are used to my voice rather than
the actual name itself?  At any rate, all my older adoptees came with their
own names that I wound up changing.  Didn't seem to phase them, much.  Some
of them just needed a name change....imagine, for instance, trying to apply
the name "Bison" to the same ferret that just screams "my name is Linus!!!
Call me Linus!!!" I don't know how many ferrets out there 'look' like a
Bison, but Linus definitely wasn't one of them.  Martin was just too whimpy
to be able to carry the name "Magellan" (sorry, Martin) and I didn't want
to be constantly reminded of Lou Reed, so I changed "Nico" to "Zooey".
Elsa (who past away last year), was the only one who fit her name--she came
with the name "Robyn"--but I didn't want to be accused of being a die-hard
Robyn Hitchcock fan (I know that's a worry for many), so her name got
changed too.  She looked and acted more like an Elsa anyway.  Sybil is my
only ferret who has had just one name, and she responds to it just like the
older guys.  She pays attention to me when she feels like it (and when I
offer socks).
 
Minta
(& Linus, Martin, Zooey, and Sybil)
[Posted in FML issue 2722]