Saraferret,

Please keep a sharp lookout for our little boy, Ivan the Toeable, whom
we helped on his journey to and across the Rainbow Bridge today. With
wonderful, compassionate help from our ferret vet, Dr. Moffett, Ivan
closed his weary eyes in this life and awakened to his new one at the
Bridge and beyond. Here, of course, all his earthly ills are forgotten
and he will forever roll in the tall summer grass with all his mates
that have gone before.

Ivan came to us as a rescue while we still lived in Kalifornia, as his
owner, who was dying of cancer, had to finally give up care for her two
fuzzies.the brothers, Buddy and Ivan. Both had been severely neglected
for some time and were overcome with fleas. They lived on a wire floor
and their nails were curled around they were so long. The poor guys had
been cage bound for so long that their fur was matted with waste and
food. Ivan was a cage biter and had broken one of his canines off to a
stub. Both ferrets were in really poor condition (we could see their
ribs!).

But that was then .

Soon as we got them home, we introduced them to the gang of 12 already
in the household. From the start, they all got along just fine.no
fights, no squabbles.it's as if the others somehow realized what these
guys had been through. It took a lot of initial care and long hours to
bring them back from the brink and put the delightful shine back in
their onyx eyes (Both are Marshall light sables). Buddy, always the
imp, was leg biter and never really was able to be retrained not too.
Altho he won't "drygulch" my legs any longer, he can and does sneak up
on others to pounce and pinch.always to his delight as he backs off in
his weasel war dance of dooks. Aside from that little glitch of his he
has turned into a real lover boy and loves to wrestle in the bed and
curl up with Cyndi or I when we watch TV at night.

But this tale is not about Buddy, but rather Ivan. Ivan was also a
biter, more from lack of human touch than anything else. He was a bit
paranoid and would go after any parts within his range, including toes
and noses. We scruffed and hissed at him and them cajoled and held him,
speaking in soft tones for it seems months, but eventually he came
around just like his bro and stopped biting. But his nickname stuck and
he became Ivan the "Toeable". Ivan Boy.Sweet Ivan. Always the first out
of the cage at night.always the first to see what was "up" in the digs
and the first to come up on the bed and start his dance routine. He
craved the human touch and Ivan soon stole our hearts. He would have
been (as near as we can tell) 8 later this year.

To all the animal gods and goddesses.and charges across the various
bridges.please take good care of him until we meet again. Dook, howl,
hoot and yowl at the moon to celebrate his arrival. Bubba, Bodie,
Blizzard, Bounder, Bopper, Beeper, Bonnie, Cyndi, Clyde, Casio,
Carlito, Flower, Gigabyte, Pal, Max and ABBA the dancing Queen.make
him comfortable in his new home!! We miss you all with our hearts and
souls.

Putorius, CP and the slinky six

From my hands, where I hold them for a time, to my heart where joy and
tears come all too easily, to my soul, where I keep them forever...
anon

[Posted in FML 6436]