Sherri; In choosing to have a ferret you have truly picked a special creature to spend your life with. There have been a few suggestions given to you by other members of the FML on what they feel you should do to make sure your choice is the right one. I too, would like to share with you my feelings. I recently lost to cancer, a foster ferret named Squeegie. Squeegie came to me only four months ago and no one knew that he was full of cancer when he came into foster care. Squeegie's history starts out as most do, from people with good intentions, who found themselves not really wanting the responsibility of raising this small life. Squeegie was never really looked after by the "owner"... he was looked after more by others - friends or people who babysat him. Squeegie never got his rightful time to be a ferret in a home where people loved him all the time - not just when it was convenient. I want you to know that I do not say this to you to hurt your feelings, or to say that you may not be a good ferret mom. I say this from the bottom of my heart.... when you make the decision to take care of another life, do not make the decision lightly. The ferret you will eventually have will need a home of love all the time. This ferret will need to know that he is wanted all the time. This ferret will need to know that you wanted him not just out of having a unique pet, but because your heart is telling you that there is nothing that will be more important than him and that others will not take his place. For me, even thought I knew Squeegie had a short time to live, I adopted him anyway. I felt it was my duty to give this special little guy a home before he died, and I owed it to him to give him all the love that he could take, just so that I could make up for all the wrong doings that had been placed upon him prior to coming to our home. I can never make up for all the people with good intentions, but I can let others know that they need to be extremely serious when they say they want to take on the responsibility of having a ferret, or any animal for that fact. I liked the fact that you said you would take it to your friends' house, and wouldn't go if they didn't accept him. Not all people will be accepting of you having a ferret but realizing that will help you make your decision as well. You have a tough road ahead of you. Being 13 puts you in a position where you will need to prove your sincerity about your desires all the time. If this is something you feel you can truly commit to, before school, after school, evenings and weekends, for the full extent of this ferrets' life, and can say that you will always do your best 100% of the time to see that he will always get the best care, and that when the time comes that you may move out of your house, that he goes with you to a place that accepts ferrets, and knowing if you should meet a potential mate down the road, that you will not give up the ferret for another person - that you will find someone who shares your love of ferrets, then I say, get one after you have done all your research and keep us posted. If you cannot do these things, then there will be another ferret in a shelter one day. There he will join other ferrets waiting for other people with good intentions that will hopefully give him a home for a lifetime. Please do not be another person with good intentions.... fulfill your responsibility to the fullest and both you and your ferret will be the happiest creatures on this earth. with love, Betty and Her Blur O'Fur Missing Squeegie [Posted in FML issue 2968]