I was pleased to read that I'm not the only person who has a sweet girl ferret named "Hillary" because of her climbing ability. When Hillary came to live at my house she was named "Scarlet" and her boy-pal was "Rhett". Their former humans claimed they destroyed the house and the couple's relationship. This was accomplished in the short period of 4 to 6 months. I'm sure you'll agree that this represents fast work even for FLO ferrets!!! My plan was to foster them until we could find good homes, since they had to be such "terrible" creatures. Scarlett quickly removed all books from bookcases, broke a glass collectible safely placed on a 7 foot high shelf, and showed me that, after several years of hiding things from ferrets on top of my inaccessible refrigerator, my refrigerator top was indeed accessible!!! There were things up there that needed to be on the floor for J.R., Rhett and her to play with. Since she obviously was a fearless climber, and I remembered "Sir Edmund Hillary" fearlessly climbing the highest mountains, I started calling her "Young Miss Hillary" which quickly became simply "Hillary". Rhett on the other hand, was a handsome, slightly chubby, lover type who was smart enough to let Hillary climb to get toys while he waited to play with them. It seemed natural for his name to become "Bill". He would really rather be petted and stroked. Since Bill & Hillary were born at Marshall Farms, there is no chance for there ever to be a "Chelsea" unless we adopt. That nearly happened last week. Happily, new homes were found for the two abandoned, flea bitten, ear-mited ferrets one of the local pounds had. The pound's "knowledgable" vet declared them healthy just one day before the bath water was RED from the poor babies flea bites! We haven't got a "shelter" or even a formal "club" here in the Peoria area, so we rely on the goodness of people like Debbie and "Ferret Mary" to save these guys from unhappy endings. Thanks to both. ( Are you there Mary?) If you live in the Central Illinois area and would be willing to help in one of these situations, please contact me at [log in to unmask] or [log in to unmask] and I will make sure the proper people get the information. And if you live in the Chicago area PLEASE offer to support F.A.I.R. in Westmont with your time. Mary Van Dahm is over-worked, under-paid, and under- appreciated. In other words, your standard model shelter mom. Seriously, she needs your help. And those of us "Just outside Chicago is a place called Illinois" who depend on her to take the unwanted babies we can't find homes for certainly don't want her to surrender to the pressures of no time or money for a life. Thanks in advance for helping. John Gordon - remembering "Weasel", "J.R. Ferret", "Garrett", and "Striper" who are probably gang attacking "Cleo" the Siamese kitty on the Bridge at this very moment. [Posted in FML issue 2371]