Dooks to all the Fur-Beings and greetings to the hoomans they own !! Went to the local pet store on Sunday to stock up on stuff for the kids. The clerk also wanted me to bring on of the kids (CINNA) for her to see. Cinna was the one SHE wanted to be owned by <G>. Well, brought Cinna and Hershey with me, but the clerk in question was not there. Had loads of fun with the kids poking their heads over the top of the shopping cart to say hello to everyone. Another clerk came over to say hello and mentioned that there was a fert in back I may be interested in. I kinda informed her I was at my limit with 14. He replied, "Gee - sorry to hear that. He is kinda a problem child. We figured if anyone could help you could. He really is a bad biter". BAD BITER ??!!! I am a firm beleiver that there are no bad ferrets. I told the clerk, "Bring him on !!". Well, she opened the bin and I reached in for the little sable boy, about 2 months old. Talking in my most eloquent "Dook-dook", I reached in and petted him. Then <CHOMP> ! Grabbing him by the scruff I held him up saying "NO!". I then did my best Domination Dance. While holding him by the scruff I dragged him around the bin several times chanting "I AM THE ALPHA!!!" while doing Jen Galls "Ferret Dance" and waving my free arm around in circles. <well, not really - but I did drag him>. Picked him up, held him in my arms and started petting him. He struggled at first, then calmed. No biting. After a while he was pretty mellow with me. Monday I came prepared for war, "For only by war do we achieve peace" - well, SOME government agency taught me THAT motto. Anyway - prepared with a bottle of Bitter Apple, some Fuzzy Soup, and my ten fingers I went to deal with the boy. After applying a coat of Bitter Apple to my hands, I reached in and DARED him to bite me. You can imagine the Yech! expression on his face when he did. A few times he opened his mouth to bite and I placed my finger into his mouth <DOUBLE YECCCH!>. Once he had mellowed out I rewarded him with some Fuzzy Soup. I layed him so his back was on my forearm and fed him from the squeeze bottle. He happily lapped it up! Things went real well - so I thought. Tuesday I got a call from the pet store. "Get your carrier and get your %$#$ ferret out of here !!". Seems the lil nipper had nailed a few more clerks. While they appreciated my trying, the did not feel it was good for the fellow to be cooped up in a stock room. Since he had been biting sales clerks, they did not want to chance him biting customers. I got there and picked up lil nipper. He did not even try to bite me. I took a real close look and noticed that his rectum seemed to be prolapsed a slight bit. None of the others had been able to hold him long enough to notice. Hmmm? Could that explain some aggressive behavior ? Bet your hemmoroids it could! I know it would irritate me ! Anyway, the lil nipper is with me now. I've placed him on some soft food and Fuzzy Soup to keep him from straining when he poops. The rectum seems to be going in well. Once or twice I have heard him crying and found some litter stuck to the remaining prolapse. He holds very still as I gently clean it away. He has not attempted to bite me once since bringing him home. Still haven't picked out a name yet. He is a Triple F Farms sable male, 11 weeks old. <sigh ..> Here we go again, everytime I get used to my closing signature I have to change it again Warm Fuzzies to all !! Kevin B and the Way Kewl Critter Crew Featuring ~~THE~~FANTASTIC~~FUZZY~~~FLURRY~~OF~~FIFTEEN~~ ~Furrice~Simon~Lacey~Hershey~Sprite~Socks~Cuddles~Java~Rascal~Miss Priss~ Cinna~Racer~Muttley~Dookesbury~ INTRODUCING - <insert new kids name here once chosen> Guest STAR - ~Fur-Angel Lady~ Neighborhood kids - Min-Pins Geordi , Jaida, and Spice Missing our friends - Kimo the Sumo Cat (and Honorary Fert) and fellow ferts ~Petey~, ~Nibbler~, ~Max~, ~Romeo~, ~Bandit~, and the other ~Romeo~ Saying "Hey!" to ~Pandora~, ~Noser~ and the rest of the Tennessee Brat Pack !! [Posted in FML issue 2877]