Boo was my first ferret, second in the house after purchasing our Autumn for my BF's son at the time. We decided that Autumn should have a companion and as an early bday present, I received Boo. I will never forget the creative way Brian gave her to me. He walked in the door with a bag from the toy store and handed it to me saying "Happy Early Birthday". (Yes we are both giant kids and love toys). Among three Kiss collectible dolls peeked a little furry head. "Autumn!" I said, "What are you doin in da bag". Upon a closer look, I see that it is not Autumn, but a little chocolate baby....Autumn's cage mate from the pet store,.... and my birthday present. Not the one I really wanted, I must confess, there was a creamy colored panda head that I was drooling over. Brian said that I could exchange her but that wouldn't have happened in a million years...Boo was already home. It was the first Halloween in our new house, our favorite time of year, and two little furry lives now graced our new family. Life was good. Autumn and Boo seemed to be the most appropriate names and they were the ferrets that started it all. Autumn was the master mind and one would think with all she got into that she alone would have deterred us from taking in more ferrets. I swear that ferret had wings that glided her into all that she should NOT get into and was the reason for several arguments that ensued. Boo was an atypical case of a ferret being shipped too young. She was only five weeks old at best guess. She had a cold, a prolapsed rectum and required a vet visit immediately. I will never forget the battle that ensued with the pet store to cover the bill, how they offered to take her back under the warranty as if she were a defective blender and the argument with them that ended in the store deciding to no longer carry ferrets. A small victory. Boo was more mellow than Autumn, a low dooker that bounded through the house with glee, just happy to be free from the cage bars. I remember trying to pack her into a ferret travel bag to go bye bye and before I even had it zipped, she would slither out and bounce all over the chair, dooking and dancing as if this were a game that she had won. Mommy puts me in the bag, and I dash out of the bag. I win! I win! Dook dook dook!! Boo had bi lateral adrenal surgery several months ago. She recovered but required meds to control her sodium and potassium level. She never did put on weight and a coat though. Still, she seemed to motor along very well. When we finally moved the ferrets in a few weeks ago and I created the senior center, I noticed how much Boo had missed me. All she wanted to do was crawl inside my shirt and sleep, so I moved her to my bedroom where we shared many naps and nights with her curled up under the blanket on my pillow. She also favored a wonderful sleepy bag that I won in a raffle at a show..one of those big, over padded round designs with a draw string top. Bless the person that made this,..the elder kids just love it. Yesterday morning, I picked up the sack and gimped down the steps to fetch her breakfast. In the middle of the stairway, I put my hand on the bottom of the sack to give her a good morning wake up pat,...and even through the thick padding, I felt a cold, stiff lump. I stopped in my tracks on the steps and realized my first baby was gone. She had passed during the night in her sleep. My Boozle Woozle was gone. My day's plans came to a grinding halt. I grabbed some breakfast, cradled Boo in my arms and went back to bed with Boo on my pillow. This is the ritual with all my fuzzys that pass. A viewing, if you will,...our very last moments together with just as many kisses and cuddles as if she were still on this plane of existence. When I posted about seniors this week, specifically mentioning my Boo, I think the death psychic wheels of my telepathic gift were turning. It is a very dark side that I haven't shared with too many people. In the past three years I have gotten "vibes" on certain ferrets with a message that they were "next". It is very heartbreaking and especially frustrating when I get this vibe on a seemingly healthy ferret. Why? What is going to befall them? ...and then denial..No, this is wrong... I'm just being paranoid. It is equally as heartbreaking when I vibe on an ill or elderly ferret,...all my babies and each loss is so great. Reiki friends have sent me healing white light which helps heal the hurt but unfortunately the death vibe continues. Autumn had been "talking" to me for the past few days. That should have told me alot. She knew Boo was coming, and was telling me that she was there waiting for her. I had some more thoughts these past couple weeks about grief and loss and how we deal with it. I had an idea that I'd like to share with everyone that has their ferrets cremated and this may be especially helpful to other shelter moms. When we have a group cremated, I'm going to take a spoonful of ash, sprinkle it into the dirt and plant a new house plant and dedicate that plant to the ferret remains that although have passed, can now be a part of something alive and thriving, a reminder that although they are no longer with us, that they do live on and they are always with us. I can still greet their living reminder and talk to them every day watching them bloom and grow. Incidentally, I recommend spider plants for this project if your thumb is not so green. ...as long as you water it and give it a little light....you can't kill a spider plant and they will produce lots of little offspring that you can clip and make more plants out of. Kimberly Fox Somethin Up My Sleeve Ferret Rescue http://companiontalk.terrabox.com/SUMS-Rescue.html Pay Pal accepted for donations at this email address. http://companiontalk.terrabox.com/SUMS-tilesoflove.html Fundraiser page [Posted in FML 5879]