Condolences to those with lost, sick, or angeled mouse thieves...
 
(*MY* mouse.  It needs to be put to bed!  Put that camera away, lady and
help me lift these bills so I can stash this thing!)
 
They say you can't teach an old dog new tricks.  They say you can't train
a cat.  Well, this may be true in both cases, but you *can* teach a
ferret new behavior!
 
On my third play shift, there is Hershey, a boy chocolate sable who
gets along with everyone, Spazzie, who...uh...spazzes out all the time,
Dancer, who dances up a storm with the slightest provocation, and
Add-A-Kiss, who is a crotchety old lady ferret who only tolerates the
cat, Hershey and me.  If any of the other two girls gets anywhere within
sniffing distance, "her highness" will squeal, squeak and bite anything
that moves...and a few things that *don't* move.  She's old...you have
to cut her a little slack.
 
Anyway, the two younger girls just *love* to tease poor Add-A-Kiss.  Now,
admittedly, the girls always get the worst end of the whole thing, but it
doesn't matter.  If they tease her and I catch them at it, they go back
into their cage for time-out for at least 10 minutes.  I usually only
punish the one that I actually *catch* doing the teasing, but if they
are both at it, then they both go back in the cage for a bit.
 
Dancer has been paying attention.
 
Last night, Spazzie decided it was time to harass Add-A-Kiss.  The old
lady was sleeping in a sleep sack knitted by the wonderful knitter, Kat
(gotta lvoe that lady!) and wasn't bothering anyone at all.  Spazzie ran
to the bag, got half-way in, then was suddenly hit in the neck by Dancer!
 
Now, Spazzie, being much heavier and more solid than Dancer, should have
easily been able to twist out of the neck bite.  However, Dancer got a
really good grip on Spazzie's neck and literally DRAGGED Spazzie back out
of the bag!  Add-A-Kiss only had time for one squeak and it was all over!
 
After Dancer got Spazze about two feet away from the bag, she let go.
Spazzie, willing to play with anything, anyone and at any time,
immediately jumped on Dancer, who wiggled out and ran, closely followed
by a streak of white madness.  Mission: accomplished.
 
Apparently, Dancer had no desire to go back in the cage and she wasn't
about to let Spazzie get the two of them put back there, either!  Isn't
is just amazing how smart these little furkids are?
 
And now, without any further ado, Herrrrrreeeeee's Johnny and his mouse!
 
---
Todd and the Fuzzbutt Rodeo Clowns
 
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http://www.netconex.com/toddl/page2/
[Posted in FML issue 4829]