Well, here it is *finally*, a little news on the babies that I rescued
recently.  (It's just been a madhouse here, no time for *anything*.)
 
The kids are doing well.  There was not even a second's hesitation in eating
Totally Ferret when I brought them all home.  They're eating *very well*,
and *growing*.  Last Friday the babies turned 11 weeks old, and even the
smallest girl is bigger than the mom already.  The boys are huge.  The mom
is tiny, she weighed 1.2 pounds at the vet on Monday.  She's so cute, she
tries to "put the kids to bed", but can't quite win with the boys, though
last night I saw one of them walking with mom as she tugged at him to tuck
him behind the litter box.  It was sooo cute.
 
The mom is scheduled to be spayed next week, she's starting to show signs of
coming into heat again <sigh> and the poor little gal is only a year old
this month.  It's odd to look at her knowing she's their mom partly because
of her small size and also because she's a red-eyed-white and all the kids
are dark sables.  I caught one of they boys trying to nurse, may have to
separate them, just hate to cuz mom loves her babies.  She's a really good
mom too I think.
 
They had no clue what a litter box was, and I started them on a bowl of
water rather than a bottle, well, they thought that was for swimming,
splashing and sleeping.  Boy, did they trash their cage.  Now they're on a
water bottle and have finally learned how to drink without choking and
coughing.  They're using the box now too, so I am really happy.  I may have
to stop lining their cage with newspaper though (in case of accidents),
since they like to chew on it.  Kids!
 
I am temporarily calling them the "Piranha Kids", since when you open the
door of their cage they charge the door and chomp the first hunk of skin
they see....all at the same time!!  They've gotten me pretty good several
times now.  I have been really busy with a couple of sick kids and so
haven't worked with these babies individually on the biting yet.  I am sure
it won't take long to teach them.  The mom bites sometimes too, but I don't
think any of them were ever handled.  Oh, the mom also gives kisses....go
figure.  I imagine once she's spayed there'll be a big difference in her
temperament.  I'll start working on her biting after that.
 
So that's the news.  Thanks soooo much to all of you who've sent donations
for their rescue.  I am still waiting for some of that money to arrive, so I
am not sure where we stand, but I'll keep you posted as I can.
 
Kisses to the fuzzies!!!
Trish
Director, Ferrets First Rescue & Shelter
[Posted in FML issue 2012]