Atlas: <RaptureJoyJoyHappyScaredHappyHappyCuriousEuphoriaUnsureHappy>*
Hijinx: <HappyHappyJoyJoyCuriousRaptureHappyCuriousUnsureJoyScaredBliss>*
Squirt: <Just what are *they* doing here?!>*
Pippi: <Why?Who?What are they doing here?They smell funny.>*
 
                       *translated from ferret
 
Yup. Pippi and Squirt have 2 new friends. Their names (at least temporarily)
are Atlas and Hijinx, male and female respectively. They are about 4 months old.
 
My hubbie and I talked about getting a 3rd in about a year since we wanted
to try and stagger the ages a bit. Possibly from a shelter, but...well...my
heart was stolen. We had stopped at a pet store about a week ago and saw
Atlas and Hijinx. They had been there quite awhile. They were marked down to
almost half price. The clerk said they had been there 8 or 9 weeks. The
little girl captured my heart.
 
We decided to go back. We only wanted 3 at most, but couldn't bear to part
the two especially since one would be left alone. It was an "all or none"
decision for us. It was an all.
 
Both of them have *extremely* dry pads on their feet, probably from being
kept on wood shavings and having the wood dry out their feet. Atlas's are
so dry and scaly that the pads on his back feet aren't even pink like the
front ones. I think his feet hurt him some. Vets appointment on friday!
 
Don't take me wrong here, I think adopting from shelters or reputable
breeders are the some of the best ways to get ferrets, but those little
guys in the pet stores need love and attention too. As evidenced by our 2
newbies. When we let them run around in the spare bedroom (aka ferret room),
they couldn't believe the freedom! They ran laps around us, dooked, hissed,
jumped, leaped, explored, etc. like you wouldn't believe! HappyHappyJoyJoy!
They are so sweet! :)
 
We're doing the introductions slowly...no barks, no yells, no hisses, only
*very* quiet inspection by Pippi and Squirt...so far.
 
-kim, mike, Squirt "Geez, he's bigger than I am!", Pippi "Geez, she's bigger
than I am", "Little" Atlas, and Hijinx
 
ps...Squirt says that every ferret should have F.U.N. (Ferret Union Number)
 
Kimberly Burkard        |              _    Everything I needed to know in life
Xerox, Rochester, NY    |       _____C .._. I learned from my ferret:
[log in to unmask] |  ____/     \___/  Dance for joy often. Play often.
[log in to unmask] <____/\_---\_\    Be determined in your ventures.
[Posted in FML issue 1163]