It has been a few weeks, since I posted about our new Templeton and the
resident troublemakers. Between weasel chores and playtime, along with
life in general, I don't always get around to the social side of
living. It would probably be more simple for me to give updates in the
form of a list, so here goes.
Out playing by day: Rhys, Ayla, Codo, Mandie, Winter
Out playing by night: Holly, Charlie, Winter, and Templeton
Rhys
Rhys is doing well on the deslorelin and melatonin-laced Furo-Tone, but
I am worried about getting more deslorelin. It has now been one year,
since he was diagnosed with adrenal cancer. On Monday, Rhys had the
best time chasing leaves, which the wind was scooting across the yard,
while on a walk. Rhys still can't stand Templeton; I mean, he REALLY
can't stand him!
Ayla
Because we suspect she has adrenal, Ayla is getting a small dose of
melatonin-laced Furo-Tone every morning. I haven't noticed her thin
coat getting any thicker, since the medication began, but melatonin
can often take a couple of months to show results. As for her issue
of having hard stools, the morning Furo-Tone helps to soften things.
Except for her Codo, Ayla is probably going to stay a loner. She just
doesn't believe in playing, unless it is with a fishing pole. Everyone
else tends to leave her alone, unless it is time for a pile of snoozing
weasels to form.
Codo
Codo is another with one year of adrenal cancer under his belt, thanks
to deslorelin and melatonin-laced Furo-Tone (though more due to the
melatonin, since the deslorelin quit back in June after four months).
The poor fellow still has severe nerve damage in three of his legs from
being stepped-on by his previous owners, but he is still getting around
on his own, for which we are very thankful. Codo's new trick is to
potty on command. Yes, you read that right. Codo hates pottying on the
newspaper when out of the cage. His shaky balance means that he needs
good traction to walk. Newspaper is too smooth for him to walk on,
without often falling in his or someone else's mess. This situation is
not healthy for my carpet. I can't just put a litter box down for him,
because Codo can't back-up to potty. My solution for the morning
just-woke-up-and-have-to-go-now deposit by Codo was to place him on the
paper, say "Potty, Codo", and hold him steady as soon as he starts to
go. It is working rather well. The carpet is saved at least one dose of
Codo per day (and since he can only produce diarrhea, getting on the
paper is a very, very good thing).
Mandie
Mandie has gone back to nipping humans, since Templeton moved in. It is
a jealousy issue. I'm trying to spend more time with her and the
others, to insure them of my love and devotion. Mandie has now learned
the trick of dangling from one finger by her "hands" and is much more
consistent at it than Rhys. Mandie has put up a fuss about going for
walks this fall, because she is terrified of the noise the strong wind
makes up here on Lake Erie. I always carry a hoodie on walks, wrapping
it around my waist, if it is a warm day. Mandie loves the security of
the hood, so she climbed up my leg and into the hood of the hoodie tied
around my waist on Monday's walk. It looked like I had a ferret bustle!
I want to get an updated pict of Mandie on the website, because her kit
coloring has changed so much. Her legs are almost black. Her tail is
just a shade darker than blonde. There is only a sprinkle of color over
her hips and shoulders. She looks like someone didn't finish coloring
in the white ferret to look like a ferret!
Winter
Gentle Winter is still running with both the day and night play-groups.
He is busily trying to teach Templeton, who hasn't seen another ferret
since being a kit in the pet store, how to play without making your
friend squeak allot. Now that Templeton has picked up Holly's toy
obsession, Winter is even more confused about why inanimate objects
are supposed to be interesting.
Holly
Unless fast asleep, Holly now comes to her name! She isn't absolutely
thrilled with Templeton's company anymore, because he tends to be a bit
rough, but she is being much more tolerant than she is with any other
ferret misbehaving. Her current project is to destroy the crocheted
toys Mom sent. Mom is busily trying out ways to crochet ferret toys,
and Holly gets all the trial patterns to play with. Her current
favorite to not destroy is a dbanana; she is working on demolishing the
eggs and cluster of grapes. I'm still trying to figure out where the
apple and carrot went.
Charlie
Like Holly, Charlie is now responding to his name, if less consistent
about it. To keep this little blind fellow busy, I sprinkle kibble
around the ferret room. Since Charlie can sniff out a treat from a mile
away and is very food-driven, he makes a great kibble vacuum!
Templeton
Templeton fit in with the night group very well at first, but now, he
is showing some unwarranted aggression. Only time will tell whether
this is a simple behavioral issue or a sign of adrenal (His tail fur
and fur over his hips is rather thin, but that could be from
malnutrition.). Templeton has picked up on Holly's love for toys, but,
rather than stashing them, he grabs them and shakes the life out of
them. Toy soccer is also a fun game to Templeton; multiple players
welcome, but not required. Templeton is still gaining weight, and,
after one month, he looks like a healthy ferret. However, I can't find
any treat that he wants, so motivating him to put up with nail clipping
or correcting behavior by treats is very difficult to impossible.
That's the entire weasel hoard of eight. They are all in acceptable to
great health, which is a blessing to the heart and wallet. Still, I've
got to find some deslorelin for Rhys soon and the money with which to
purchase the implant. I really wish vets would mail spare doses of
deslorelin to each other.
Mom is doing great overall. She's been trying out ferret crocheted toy
ideas and sending the results here to be "tested". She also made me
some custom hammocks for my huge Super Pet Kingdom cage, which is
32"x32"x60". I just can't ever find manufactured hammocks to fit a
cage that long and wide. Mom made some wonderful pocket and reversible
hammocks patterned with wolves and with wide nylon straps. The nylon
straps are something she is trying, to see if the extra stitching
necessary to secure them will not take away from the beauty of the
bedding (which it doesn't). I'm so glad she wanted to start a ferret
bedding business, because what she's sent me has lasted longer than
traditional manufactured bedding.
As for me, I've had some uncomfortable health news this month. The
cornea transplant I had one year ago is now being rejected. What little
vision I do have is slowly going. A new cornea would be the solution,
if my eye had fully recovered from the last surgery, but it has not.
The eye should be filled with a certain amount of fluid to create a
certain level of pressure. My eye in question has not held an
appropriate amount of fluid, since the most recent cornea transplant.
The eye is "sick", according to the doctor that did an ultrasound on it
Oct. 1, 2010. Having too many surgeries on one part of the body will
make that part of the body very slow or unable to heal over time. That
was my fifth cornea transplant in that eye, and my 48th eye surgery
overall. As for the other eye, it can only see light peripherally on
a very good day. I'm afraid of the dark.
For more updates and info, visit us at ferretsatheart.com.
With respect,
Lori of Ferrets at Heart
http://ferretsatheart.com/
Our eBay auctions with seriously slashed prices run through the
afternoon of Oct. 17 at:
http://shop.ebay.com/ferrets-at-heart/m.html
[Posted in FML 6851]
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