I must agree with Bob C's post on owning many ferrets.  I only have 11
now (missing BooBoo), but I certainly do wish I could learn to say no to
people who give me ferrets.  Actually, when I reached 12, I did say no
to a lady who wanted to give up a 9-yr. old, blind albino, female.  I
knew that ferret would have to live alone in a cage in a room full of
other ferrets.  I felt it would be too stressful on the old girl, so I
said no.  The woman's response was, "Well, I guess I'll just have to put
her down then."  I was very angry.  The only effort this woman took to
find a home for this ferret was to call me and ask me to take her.  She
never contacted any other ferret people in town, never advertised her in
the paper, nothing.
 
Usually, this is the main reason I take in ferrets; someone will kill
them or "let them go" otherwise.  Similar to Bob, I tend to take those
others don't want:  older, sick, animals that the owners either don't
want to care for or can't for whatever reason (usually money).  Not that
I'm made of money, but my husband and I do make a fairly good living, so
we can afford to take care of all the critters we have.  That's another
reason I am no longer taking in new fuzzbutts.  After BooBoo's death, I
can no longer emotionally afford it.  The pain from that one was way too
great.  And, intellectually, I know that I will have to go through it 11
more times before I'm done.
 
Bob, I don't know how you handle 18 or more free-roam ferrets.
 
Melanee Ellis
"The Ferret Lady"
Juneau, Alaska
[Posted in FML issue 2813]