I was pleased to read that I'm not the only person who has a sweet girl
ferret named "Hillary" because of her climbing ability.  When Hillary came
to live at my house she was named "Scarlet" and her boy-pal was "Rhett".
Their former humans claimed they destroyed the house and the couple's
relationship.  This was accomplished in the short period of 4 to 6 months.
I'm sure you'll agree that this represents fast work even for FLO ferrets!!!
My plan was to foster them until we could find good homes, since they had to
be such "terrible" creatures.
 
Scarlett quickly removed all books from bookcases, broke a glass collectible
safely placed on a 7 foot high shelf, and showed me that, after several
years of hiding things from ferrets on top of my inaccessible refrigerator,
my refrigerator top was indeed accessible!!!  There were things up there
that needed to be on the floor for J.R., Rhett and her to play with.
 
Since she obviously was a fearless climber, and I remembered "Sir Edmund
Hillary" fearlessly climbing the highest mountains, I started calling her
"Young Miss Hillary" which quickly became simply "Hillary".
 
Rhett on the other hand, was a handsome, slightly chubby, lover type who
was smart enough to let Hillary climb to get toys while he waited to play
with them.  It seemed natural for his name to become "Bill".  He would
really rather be petted and stroked.
 
Since Bill & Hillary were born at Marshall Farms, there is no chance for
there ever to be a "Chelsea" unless we adopt.
 
That nearly happened last week.  Happily, new homes were found for the two
abandoned, flea bitten, ear-mited ferrets one of the local pounds had.  The
pound's "knowledgable" vet declared them healthy just one day before the
bath water was RED from the poor babies flea bites!
 
We haven't got a "shelter" or even a formal "club" here in the Peoria area,
so we rely on the goodness of people like Debbie and "Ferret Mary" to save
these guys from unhappy endings.  Thanks to both.  ( Are you there Mary?) If
you live in the Central Illinois area and would be willing to help in one of
these situations, please contact me at [log in to unmask] or [log in to unmask]
and I will make sure the proper people get the information.
 
And if you live in the Chicago area PLEASE offer to support F.A.I.R. in
Westmont with your time.  Mary Van Dahm is over-worked, under-paid, and
under- appreciated.  In other words, your standard model shelter mom.
Seriously, she needs your help.  And those of us "Just outside Chicago is a
place called Illinois" who depend on her to take the unwanted babies we
can't find homes for certainly don't want her to surrender to the pressures
of no time or money for a life.
 
Thanks in advance for helping.
 
John Gordon - remembering "Weasel", "J.R. Ferret", "Garrett", and
"Striper" who are probably gang attacking "Cleo" the Siamese kitty on the
Bridge at this very moment.
[Posted in FML issue 2371]