Dear all,
 
I'm no longer a member of the FML, but I'm hoping you'll still lend me a
hand.  You might remember "Lori & Rat's Brats", once a bouncy business
of 7-9 ferrets at a time, a cat (Little Miss), a guide dog (Gertie) and
two blind humans (Lori and her husband).  Lori (me) became physically
handicapped along with being blind in early 2002 and got ferrets to help
with physical therapy.  Through good and bad times over the last 3 yrs.
9 mons.  the business of furry weasels is down to two, the original two
in fact, Lance and Merray).
 
Over the last two+ years you all have helped by buying things from Lori &
Rat's Brats off of eBay (under the alias ferret-math), donated animal
food (and people food in a really tight spot), sent money and lots of
toys/treats/bedding.  Dook-N-Dance Ferret Rescue in Midway Park, NC, near
where we used to live in the sandhills, even ferret-sat for four months
for us when our apartment complex decided (after two years) that no one
in the apartment complex could have more than one pet.  We've had a
trailor in SW NC for over a year now where our fuzzies have had their
own bedroom.  We've had much to be thankful for regarding keeping our
ferrets; they have been such a blessing.
 
Now I must tell you all the unthinkable sad truth.  I can no longer care
for our two remaining bouncing boys.  I can't help but cry my eyes out
right now; I've tried everything to keep them, but I just can't give
them the exercise they need, nor keep their cages as sanitary as I once
did.  I get migrain headaches 4/5 days, and that's just not condusive
to playing with my noisy "troublesome" (said affectionately, of course)
pair.  Cleaning their cages requires contorting my
back/shoulders/arms/hips in positions that become more painful week to
week; once I cleaned their cages every two days, but now I can't.  They
deserve so much better.  If they could live off of love, they'd be in the
Fortunate Ferret 500, but life doesn't work that way.  I spend only an
average of 12 hrs. a month out of bed due to pain; the doctors don't
know what's wrong and it's getting worse.  I owe my fuzzy boys for making
me better for a time.  I was in a wheelchair for seven months originally;
they helped get my muscle tone up enough for me to walk the aisle on my
wedding day and I've been able to walk in stores and such for quick
errands now and then without resorting to rolling along.  They brought
back my muscles, but they can't block out my pain anymore - Even
laughing at their antics hurts.
 
I want my nearly 4-yr.-old boys to go to a good shelter, foster home
or new home (provided they are former ferret owners and can provide
recommendations); they are probably just now touching middle age.  Merray
(Merlin) a small sable male is deaf and has the cutest crooked tooth; he
acts out a lot when first moved to a new home, such as digging the food
out of his bowl or wrestling too hard with his buddy.  Lance is a
(Lancelot) normal sized chocolate male who will follow Merray into any
trouble and "watch his back"; Lance will also sit on your shoulder all
day to watch you type, sew or just for a ride.  They live well in a
group of any size as long as no members are too timid to give 'em a nip
when necessary.
 
I'll send a 5 ft. tall cage with them and litter (they are both
completely litter trained), Mazuri Ferret Diet food, water bottle, food
bowl, bedding and toys.  I've got so much ferret stuff (a whole bedroom
full) that I'd like to be able to sell some of it; two ferrets don't need
two 5 ft.  cages, 20+ bedding, 75 + ft.  in tubes, unopened bags of
treats and litter and a bunch of the 29 in.  tall connectable/collapsable
ffence designed exclusively to make "friendly ferret areas" at home or
when traveling.  We've also got a framed copy of the rare "Everything I
Knew in Life I Learned from My Ferret" poster.  Please don't think us
greedy to want to sell some of our ferret things.  for one thing, the
ferrets will have enough sent with them for comfortable living.  For
anoth thing, Gertie, my guide dog, has more benine cancer bumps that will
need to be removed for her comfort; they are on her chest between her
front legs growing from between her ribs, attached to the diafram muscle
and outer skinn.  A similar surgery last year for one bump (three now)
cost $300).
 
Please give us a call for more info.  All items must be picked up, so
feel free to come have a look; whoever takes the ferrets gets first go
on everything else.  We live in Franklin, NC (where HWY 441 and HWY 64
cross), 30 min. from Clayton, GA, 2 hr. from Marietta, GA, 1 1/2 hr. from
Gaynesville, GA, 2 hr. from Chattanooga, TN, 3 hr. from Greensville, SC,
1 1/2 from Asheville, NC.
 
Phone: 828-524-7080 from 3:00 pm. to 11:00 pm. every day.
 
Yours sincerely,
LOri Richardson
[Posted in FML issue 5060]