Having finally recovered from seven weeks' worth of flu and pneumonia with
asthma kicking in big-time, I'm convinced that one of the most important
things you can provide for your ferret is a good back-up caregiver.  I'm
lucky enough to live with one, but I don't know what I would have done if
I lived alone, especially when I was hauled off in an ambulance in the wee
hours to spend a few days in the hospital (during which time I dreamed
about little ferrets running around in white nurses' caps).  I was wobbly
and woozy for weeks afterward, with prednisone and codeine getting my days
and nights switched around.  The closest ferret shelter is quite far away
and friends who live nearby were nearly as sick as I was.  If this country
is going to be hit by these new strains of semi-plagues every year,
would-be ferret owners who might be laid low for an extended period of time
should ask themselves who would not only feed and clean the fuzzies, but
also cuddle and play with them on a daily basis.
 
Anyway, the ferrets didn't catch the flu (although one of them had the
sneezies for a couple days), it's now becoming warm enough to open up the
3-season porch (i.e. ferret playroom), and last night I bought a bag of
those famous plaster Easter eggs and a bunch of new squeaky toys, so we're
all ready to commence Spring Ferret Enrichment.
[Posted in FML issue 2629]