The first blind ferret I got was Lacey (formerly Lucy) from the OR Ferret Shelter. The first day here she spent a long time going around the rooms hugging close to the wall. The next day she took off running. Nothing stopped her except a misplaced backpack tossed on the floor by one of my kids or a cat who didn't appreciate getting bumped into. Up until her death she was the boss of her group of 6 and nobody messed with her! Most people couldn't believe she was blind. Oliver came to us last summer from the shelter. He is blind and deaf. He had a cordoma removed from his tail and has liver cancer. His companion Lola is crippled. They joined a larger group that my dear Penny was in. Oliver is a huge guy that from the beginning never walked or ran....he BOUNCED. He is without a doubt the happiest ferret I have ever known. Everything excites him! He has a shoe fetish and nobody's shoes are safe around him. He takes most of them and stores them in the downstairs bathroom cabinet that is filled with blankies and toys. Sometimes he stashes them where we can't find them for days. He also LOVES dirt. I had him outside today and BOUNCED across the lawn until he came to some mole holes and then dug in them. Just as you would with a blind and deaf child, I try to give him lots of things to smell (perhaps this is why he likes shoes...). He had been in several homes before I got him but I can't even imagine ever giving him up. He's determined to live life to the fullest!! Recently my Brewster has been going blind. At first it bothered him a great deal and he stopped running around with his group and didn't play. He would just find a warm spot and curl up while the world whizzed past him. We gave him tons of love but he took his time in adjusting. Now with new found confidence he again races through the house. I think he got tired of everyone else having a good time except him. Neither of the 2 ferrets that came here blind ever went upstairs, too scary I guess. Brewster has always gone upstairs and now that he is going blind it will be interesting to see if he will continue to go upstairs. Nancy on the OR coast enjoying pussywillow and daffodil time [Posted in FML 6277]