Well, it's a moot point now anyway.  Jeff picked up the newest
member of our family last night, and since it was from a NJ pet
store, he had to fill out a temporary permit, and we will be getting
the official application from the state shortly.  So I guess we
will find out what the state of NJ is sending out to people these
days.  The pet store owner told us that the permit was required
because the state seemed to think ferrets were "dangerous" animals.
She followed this by saying "How could anybody think this cutey
is dangerous?"
 
I'm sorry if anyone thinks I've been oversensitive on this issue,
but, well. . . after reading a lot of the back issues about
all the junk about ferrets coming out of California, and the one-sided
stories about ferrets "attacking" babies in their cribs, I didn't
think so.
 
Well, enough griping.
 
Pogo is a *delightful* ferret.  Clearly, he has been handled much
more than any of our three (when we got them), and he truly enjoys
being cuddled & played with.  The downside, which should only be
temporary, is that the Molly & Charlie are terrorizing him.
 
Molly was the first to meet him, and after carefully sniffing him
all over & even licking his ears, she went under the hassock. Pogo
followed her under, and a few seconds later, a pitched battle broke
out, followed by loud squealing from Pogo, who emerged with a tail
the size of a furry sausage.  Molly came out a minute later, with
similar bushy tail. She then dragged him under again, more squealing,
and then he ran out the other side & under the couch.  She literally
scared the crap out of him -- little blobs all over the floor.
 
When Charlie met him, the sniffing was followed by chasing Pogo all
over the house & beating on him till he wet himself.  Bandit was
content to grab him by the scruff of the neck & shake him firmly
twice, as if to say, "Don't you mess with me," but B-man has left
him alone since then.
 
Not so, Molly & Charlie.  Molly wouldn't let him under the covers
to sleep.  Pogo slept in the corner all night by himself.  Charlie
beat him up again this morning.  He's very sweet-tempered, & when
by himself, Pogo will play very happily with us, but Charlie & the
Moll seem to want to whale at him all the time.
 
Oh, well, I guess we have to let them get it out of their systems
& show the Pogue what his place in the pecking order is.
 
Nancy, we had a *great* time at Ferret Fun.  It was really great
meeting you & Percy & Bree.  We are going to take some of those
"What is a Ferret" brochures Sally Heber gave us to our vet & to
the pet store.
 
Denise, the owner, was really excited to hear about the brochure;
she says she hasn't been able to find anything she can give to people
at the store.  South Jersey residents on the mailing list might want
to check this place out.  It's Pet Habitat, in Turnersville on the
Black Horse Pike.
 
You can have the soapbox back now.:)
 
Katie, Jeff, Bandit, Molly, Charlie & Pogo
 
[Posted in FML issue 0241]