I was in the first semester of my sophomore year in college when I got
Dervish.  Believe me, I'd given my situation a lot of thought before I
decided to become a ferret owner.
 
Sure, there have been days every now and then when I've gotten hung up at
work or had a pre-test cram session where Dervish hasn't gotten 100%
perfect attention ... but unless one is a trillionaire who lives a life of
complete leisure, things will occasionally come up that distract you from
your pets.  I don't think it makes me a negligent ferret owner if Dervish's
playtime isn't five-plus hours every single day.  So my lifestyle isn't
regular.  So what?  If my ferret is cared for and loved and given proper
attention, what's the problem?
 
Dervish gets playtime in the morning before I leave, in the afternoon when
I come home, in the evening while I study, and [her favorite] Bathroom
Playtime while I shower.  She's happy and well-adjusted, and spoiled as
well. :-)
 
As for the issue of moving ... I'm sure I will have two or three different
homes in the next decade.  But I don't see how that negatively impacts
Dervish.  She absolutely loved it the last time we moved ... unexplored
boxes, a fun trip across town in a different car, and best of all, a whole
new territory to conquer!
 
I don't mean to diminish the importance of carefully considering ferret
ownership for anyone, nor do I criticize shelters who do not adopt ferrets
to students.  I just wanted to go on record (as I usually do when this
subject comes us) saying college students aren't inherently bad ferret
owners.
 
After all, my combined work and school hours are *less* every day than if
I had a regular nine-to-five job.  If anything, Dervish will get less
attention when I get done with school.
 
Besides, the best way to study something is to explain it to someone else.
So when I study, I just explain it all to Dervish.  She knows a lot about
existentialism, zoology, and Texas government. :-)
 
-(TX) Meghan and Dervish the WonderFerret ("I agree that Jean-Paul Sartre's
conceptualization of "self" does not refute the Cartesian "I" ... now
gimmie some Apple Jacks, or I'll bite your toes!")
[Posted in FML issue 2780]