The Adventure Begins-1985 My husband learned of an animal that he felt might have been abused, he decided to check it out. So, he invited the owner to bring it over to our house when he learned that it was for sale. The young man (?, I question the maturity level here) who owned the critter stated that he had no place to keep it and that it lived in a gym bag (to keep it out of mischief!). Upon learning that it was a ferret, I had some reservations about allowing a "weasel" into my house. When the young man opened the gym bag, this gorgeous little face popped out of the bag and straight into my heart. After seeing that beautiful little creature, there was no way he was going to go back into that bag! He was purchased then and there. I'm not sure that he had a name, if he did, I never learned it. It was so touching to see this beautiful animal experience freedom for the first time in his short life (he was about 6 months old). He found so much to get into! It made one almost dizzy trying to keep up with him. When I attempted to catch him, he made a mad dash for the couch. Afterwards, he began to jump, twist, and contort his body into shapes that seemed impossible for a body to achieve. All the while, he was laughing. It was at this point that he became Rascal. Rascal really earned his name the next evening. I worked nights and was not home when the big potted plant dig began. As Scott attempted to save one of my houseplants, another was being uprooted! My husband called me at work to inform me of the shambles that my house was now in and to let me know that we didn't have as many plants as before. Rascal was a ferret with an ATTITUDE!! Of course, when one looks at the whole picture, I have to admit that I would have had an attitude also if my whole world had been a gym bag. Rascal bit and he bit hard often bringing blood. He discovered that he could climb onto the water bed and enjoyed going for my husband's ankles. For about six months, we gave this little creature undivided attention, love and care. Then it happened, my very first ferret kiss! In that one moment, I knew that he was mine, that all the time and energy that we had put in had finally born fruit. From that moment on, Rascal never attempted to bite another human. He was a joy and pleasure to be around. It was about this time that we felt Rascal needed a companion and, I'll admit, we felt two would be better than one. I responded to an ad in which a young female was for sale. After I got off work the next day, I went over to look at her. I was in uniform and I think everyone in the home thought they were about to be arrested. The ferret's owner, a young lady, very shakily pulled the little female from a kitchen cupboard. Slinky was so tiny and petite and an absolute jewel. She was a gorgeous little albino with the prettiest little pink eyes that I had ever seen. She went home with me. Slinky did not seem to fit as a name, so she was renamed "Lady". Lady and Rascal did not really care for one another. They never fought, but they never played together either. Later in the spring, Lady decided that she wanted to start a family. She and Rascal became really good friends in a hurry!! The next chapter deals with the babies. Margaret, Gismo, Harley, Scooter, Coco, Merlin, Rusty, Fancy, and Princess (and, of course, Scott, who still puts up with us all) [Posted in FML issue 1700]