Ever seen 12 lbs. of ferrets try to get into one standard-sized grocery
bag? That's four ferrets in all, for the sake of your mental image. A
new phone book was left on our porch in said grocery bag. We look up
numbers online or with 4-1-1, so the phone book was destined to be
ferret potty paper. Well, the guys played for a while, but they got
a bit bored after a time, so I had an idea. I started sliding the
bag with the phone book in it across the floor of the ferret room.
Everyone had to take a ride! Some never wanted to quit! Poor Rhys, the
thoughtful gentlemanly ferret that he is, always let the other three go
in first, leaving only enough room for the front half of his more than
five-pound bulk. I think I'm overruled regarding the use of the phone
book; it is now an amusement ride, not a source of ferret toilet paper.

Tonks, I've got a four-year-old ferret guy named Charlie. He came to
us back in September from a lady that had lost her job. His friend
Holly came too, but that wasn't much help in the adjustment process.
You see, it turns out that Charlie is blind. His former mommy didn't
know, because he knew his way around his old house, and his mommy
hadn't spent much time with him for the last few months. Charlie can't
stand to be around other ferrets. He is afraid of their intentions,
not being able to read their body language, you know. Whenever he gets
mad or fearful, he poops. Holly might have been of more help, but she
is a rescued McKay ferret that wasn't descented, making her rather
intimidated by my other four and able to make that known in an odorous
way.

Now, Charlie and Holly live in their own cage. Holly plays with the
others sometimes, because she is beginning to understand that no one is
out to hurt her here. Charlie dooked and danced for the first time in
His and Holly's private playtime last weekend. He may have danced into
things that he didn't intend to, but it was wonderful to be there, when
he finally started to come out of his moving-to-a-new-home funk.

We, the humans here, are blind too, Tonks. We understand why Charlie
is taking time to adjust and are helping him the best we can. He has
started sniffing at the other ferret cage, even sniffing noses on
occasion through the bars, and that's another good sign. Holly is older
than him, so we need him to have friends for when she goes to meet
SaraFerret at the Bridge; we don't want him to have to be in a cage
alone. Either way, Charlie has a forever-home here with the others
that we were given or rescued.

Codo, one of our April rescues (from a very abusive home), is much,
much improved, since my last post regarding him. Those three legs that
were paralyzed all those months ago have become strong, if not highly
coordinated. He routinely climbs in and out of the cage unassisted,
making me one proud mommy! He is only four, but he may be going
adrenal, so please keep him in your thoughts. Codo is the only ferret
Charlie doesn't poop on (besides Holly), so maybe there will be a
friendship between them over time.

Sincerely,
Lori in Ohio

Ferrets: Frost & Rhys, Ayla & Codo, Charlie & Holly
Cats: Little Miss & Reaganne

[Posted in FML 6516]