I currently "only" have 3 ferrets.  But I also have 3 cats and 2 dogs, so
it's all relative ;)
 
Gannon is the oldest and longest resident - he turned 3 in September.
He's an albino MF that was part of a group of 8 ferrets and several
guinea pigs that were literally left on the doorstep of a Petco in
Chicago.  An acquaintence of mine, Jackie, worked there and knew that I
had just lost my ferret Joey (adopted from the GCFA shelter when I was
a volunteer there).  At the time we also had another ferret named Sarah
(also adopted from the GCFA) who was now without a cagemate.  I asked
Jackie if any of the ferrets were white males and she said yes that one
was an albino male.  I said "I'll take him!" and the next day drove to
the city to pick him up.  Sarah and him were never as close as Sarah &
Joey had been, but they kept each other company until Sarah joined Joey
at the bridge the following March.  Our cat Gimli - at the time our only
other pet - kept Gannon company and became his best friend & playmate
after Sarah's passing.
 
In July of that year (2004) I was at Petco - where I *never* go for
pet supplies but was nearby one and needed some dog food - when I saw
Cameron.  I always "check on" the kits at Petco to make sure they're not
sick and to say hello to the cute little babies.  I saw Cameron and fell
in love.  He was a 2-month-old dark sable (from MF).  I *had* to have
him.  He came home just a week before we got our first dog, Vegas (a
black lab puppy, born the day after Cameron).  Gannon & Cameron became
fast friends although Cameron gave Gannon ECE :( Gannon got over the ECE
after a few months and is now healthier than ever.
 
Nearly a year later (in May 2005) I was at a street festival in Chicago
when I saw people carrying around a baby ferret.  They were very VERY
intoxicated and had purchased the ferret from the Petco nearby.  I
tried my best to educate them with the noise of the bands and their
intoxication making it difficult for them to grasp all the important
facts I felt obligated to share.  Later on they asked me to hold him
while they went to get more alcohol (sigh) and didn't return for some
time.  Rather than subject the little baby to the unbearable noise from
the band on stage, I went to the side of the stage where my boyfriend &
others prepared to play later on that day.  I never saw the people again
and finally at the end of the day I was forced to take the baby home.  I
had given them my business card with my home office phone number on it
and they'd called it several times accusing me of stealing their ferret
but they never left a number to return their call or I would have
explained my reasoning behind taking the baby home.  I was not all that
torn about keeping him, though, as they'd probably purchased him while
under the influence and (I assume) didn't know the first thing about
raising a ferret.  I still, to this day, feel guilty about what I did but
in the end I know that Oz (the baby - now 9 months old and the biggest,
fattest boy of the bunch) is happier and healthier as a result.  He is a
panda/blaze crazy champagne coloring with "blue" eyes.  TOO CUTE!!
 
Now for the names: I found Gannon's name on a baby names website - I was
looking for something that meant "white" or "polar bear".  His name is
Irish and means "fair complexioned" LOL!  Cameron was named after Matt
Cameron, the drummer for Soundgarden & Pearl Jam and also director
Cameron Crowe.  Oz was named after Ozzie Guillen, manager of the WORLD
CHAMPION Chicago White Sox :D When I was holding him on the side of the
stage, he was curled up in my boyfriend's White Sox Jersey.  He's also
named after Seth Green's character on Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
 
Although not updated in a while (Oz isn't even on there), you can check
out pictures of the kids and see Joey & Sarah at
http://www.neenerbean.com/animal
 
Amy
[Posted in FML issue 5090]