Still thinking and researching

[Deleted]

I appreciate all of your replies especially the one about whether this was a poor idea because I have a indoor big dog, a big cat, a PD and a bird, and all the warning on the almost inevitablility of it being a huge medical expense and a heart break. I have to know all of these things, in order to either decide that they are cute and fuzzy, but not for me at least not now, or that it is a possiblility, but only with some well thought out plans in place BEFORE I bring one home.

Now for more questions to help lead me closer to my decision. I was trying to think of a way I could let the poor thing out of its cage to play, while it gets used to my household and my household gets used to him or her, without causing grief, and I when I was researching cages for my PD, I remembered seeing a play pen for small critters. I looked them up on the internet and they aren't that expensive and can come with a cover that I can buy for the top to keep the other animals ( I don't think that this would happen, but just in case) from getting to him and hurting him, and the cover on the bottom would keep him from destroying the floor. I could hold the baby until it got squirmy and wanted down to play, and let it play in the play pen with toys. Eventually, I would want to give it some freedom, but not until it felt safer and ir responded to a sqeaky toy or something like that to come back from underneath something. The one I saw said it is easy to assemble and folds down into a tote bag. Does anyone have one of these and do you like it? Do ferrets climb? I know PD's are not supposed to climb and have no depth perception, but mine tried to climb on clothes and bedding and my dog to get from place to place. I am asking that because the picture of the playpen looks like something that a determined critter might climb. I did go to the store and handled one of the ferrets. It had a light mask, and seemed pretty friendly until it wanted down and put its teeth on me. Didn't bite or nip, just let me know that he could if he wanted to. My PD does that when he wants down NOW! I usually remind him that he does not bite me and take him back to his cage quickly. Next question, is ferret insurance expensive? I was looking on the internet yesterday, and didn't see any quotes for ferrets. One site had a page for exotics, and birds, but they wanted more information for a quote, and I don't really have any. If I decide to do this it will be one only and I will have to have pet insurance. I am glad all of you told me how sickly they become and how expensive all of that is. I love my animals, and have spent $1000 on my "free" lab, because of hip issues, ear issues, and ongoing skin issues, and as sweet as the little fuzzies are, I wouldn't/couldn't spend that kind of money on them. I pray for my animals constantly and provide them the healthiest foods, and supplements, and exercise, because I love them and I don't ever want to be placed in a position where I have to have them euthanized because their care was too expensive. One of my other concerns has been taken care of. A lady at work has several ferrets and I was telling her about all of these things that I was thinking about and she said if after all of my reasearch, I decide to get one and then find out this was a really bad idea, she would adopt the little fuzzy from me.

Thanks again for all of your answers. Keep them coming!

[Deleted]

Hi ferrets can and do climb everything and anything if the play pen you are talking about is not high then an adult will quite easily get out and unless the top is mesh they will get out of the top too and chew through the bottom if its not solid ( they are experts at grabbing on and ripping things if they get a small hole in say a peice of fabric they will keep at it untill its big enough to get through and that does not have to be that big! they can get through the smallest of holes ) think mouse hole a ferret can get through that as for ferret insurance I dont know if any companys insure ferrets and if they did I think they may ask for big premiums he would need constant stimulation from you and would need to be handled a lot ask yourself would your other animals be ok with this ? if you get a kit you would have to learn him not to bite and kits can bite hard often breaking the skin and a word of warning if he does escape birds and other small animals are food to him if he can get near them just as your cat and dog may consider him food not trying to put you off about getting a fuzzy just trying to help you make the right decision and it can be up to 13 years of commitment take care bye for now
crazy lady

[Deleted]

VPI has insurance for ferrets and it's pretty cheap. However, the insurance has it's limits. Here is the link.
www.petinsurance.com/index.aspx

[huronna]

as sweet as the little fuzzies are, I wouldn't/couldn't spend that kind of money on them.

The question would be....what would you do if the time came and it was either pay out this amount to your vet to try and help your ferret.....or what?

Just a couple of examples. I Had Rocki for 7 years, The last two he was adrenal and we lived in Puerto Rico where there were no ferret vets. He was given Lupron every 8 months, each time it was over $200. We moved to the states and something else happened. He had emergency surgery and had a cancerour kidney removed. Just like humans, ferrets can live well with only one kidney. It was abour $400 for the surgery. He then became insulinomic, and it was sort of uncontrollable. ALmost every week we wound up in the vet on an emergency basis. Suring the last 8 months of his life, his vet bills were close to $2000.

Dexie, I adopted from a shelter. He was turned in because he had an ugly abscess on his chin. It was an infected bottom front fang, that had been chipped. Antibiotics worked but as soon as he'd finish a dose , the abscess would come back. The day I adopted him, we went to the vet and I was referred to a vet dentist. My vet was afraid to pull the tooth because it was not loose and it was in his lower jar. He was afraid of breaking his jaw. The vet dentist did a root canal $500 on the spot. About 3 years later I came home and Dexie was flat bottom on the floor and cold. I thought it was a sugar shock, but after doing the things we should do, nothing. I rushed him to the night emergency clinic. $300 for blood work, IV's and incubator. Next day to my regular vet for an exploratory. My vet called me at work and said....there is nothing I can do, he is riddled with cancer. I was not ready to let him go. He was my buds. For three days he went back and forth to the emergency night clinic with the iv and back to my vet. At the end of a week, I realized I was being selfish and it was not far to him ....Another $2000.

Frick was another story, my miracle ferret. On Lupron for 3 years, At 9, emergency surgery....bladder full of stones. Vet said I should put him down only 10% change of even making it through surgery. He surprised everyone and two days after surgery, it had climbed into the big cage and up the ramps so he could nap with his sister. Another 8 months of very frequent vet visits, but he was happy and still enjoying life. And every visit to the vet was $50-$100. ANother whopping bill.

Maybe this is why I never have more than a couple (3 or 4) ferrets at a time. I know what an expense they can be...but I will do anything for them.

Having many pets, can be a handicap to a family financially. Many times I have told people, perhaps being a ferret mommy is not the best thing for you.

Too many times I have seen people overextend themselves and then when it comes time to pay the vet...it's next to impossible.

Oh well, off my soap box...for now

[Dar24]

Ok.. I have a play pen for my three guys.. I only use it when we are camping.. But one tip in purchasing one.. Make sur the bars are vertical not horizontal..A fuzzie could easily climb one with horizontal bars.. I bought one cover for the top because the playpen is outside when we camp..And I didn't want to take a chance that a hawk would swoop down and grab one of my guys.. I just bought a cheap tarp for the bottom.. And zip tied it to the cage..My guys dug to their hearts content but didn't get through the tarp..Plus I have heard that the bottoms that you purchase for the playpen stain easily if your fuzzie goes the bathroom on it..So the tarp is cheap.. If it gets ruined, throw it out and get another.lol.. Don't know how much it would slide around on carpet though..

Ok,, wanted to let you know...That the easiet room for me to safety proof for my guys was the bathroom...Basically moved all the posions way up high out of their reach..Remove the garbage can if you have one or purchase one with a lid..(They just love to dump garbages) Also some love the toilette paper..So you made need to take it off while they are in there playing..My guys love to crawl through their tubes into the tub..Play in water or snow..I throw a bunch of their toys in there and they are relatively safe...The thing about ferrets is they will get into things you least expect..Specially when they are babies...So you need to sit in there with them.. Of at least go in and check every few minutes to make sure all is well..

Don't know if this was mentioned before..But ferrets need boosters just like puppies...They need distemper shots especially if you are like me and want to take him/her outside for a walk.. So there is some expense when you first bring them home...I haven't heard of insurance for ferrets here in my country either.. I just decided that pet insurance was going to cost me so much a month...So I put that amount away each month myself...That way you can build a small nest egg before your fuzzie made need some expensive procedure..

Oh about the baby nipping thing...Think of your fuzzie as a pup... They are teething at the age you buy them at the pet store...So they will possibly use you as a chew toy just like a pup...YOu just need to teach them that you are not a chew toy.. When they bite, say a loud NO... NO bite.. Also, you don't want your baby to learn that all it has to do is nip you to get down...Whatever you do, don't put him/her down until you want to put her/him down.. If you decide on getting a baby..We sure can be of help with training your little fuzzie.. You have a dog so do I.. Let me tell you that fuzzies are as smart as dogs and can be as trainable as dogs...Just takes a little longer and a little more consistency but they will get it.. All three of my guys do tricks for treats..

Just to let you know, I have a rotti, cat, budgie, goldfish and 3 ferrets.. You can have a multi pet household and have ferrets.. You just need to make sure that the ferrets are safe when it's their playtime..When my guys are out..The rotti is locked up in her room with her comfy bed..

Oh one last thought..Ferrets are like fine wine...They get better with age..A baby will be full of energy and get into everything but as they get older they grow out of that and get more cuddlier..

[Dar24]

Just got finished reading Huronna's post and have to say I agree with her on the multiple ferret thing..I got my first two ferrets before joining a ferret group here online..Had no idea about their diseases and the expense they can incur..

For example, last month my 3 .5 year old Kahlua was diagnosed with Adrenal disease..The cost of getting her a shot once a month to keep the disease under control is $90 here.. I have been told if she doesn't get other complications she could easily live to 7 or 8 years old..So this is going to be quite an expense for the next few years.. If I had known about these diseases when I adopted my first ferret.. I probably would have stayed with just one.. Maybe two max..

But there is just something about the little guys...Their zest for life makes us want to do whatever we can to keep them happy and healthy..

Oh just had a thought?? Have you typed in Ferrets in Youtube?? You can watch millions of videos on ferrets when they are awake..It will give you a good idea of what they are like..

[Deleted]

I am going to check out that link again for the pet insurance. I typed in some fake information to get a quote, as if I had just purchased a ferret and it wouldn't give me a quote, said I have to have the animal 60 days before purchasing insurance. Even if the insurance was , lets say, $35 per month, it would still be worth it, not to be on the hook for several hundred dollars at a time, or more. As long as the ferret remained healthy for a good while, the savings account would make more sense and gain interest though. I guess that is the gamble.I have had my PD for 5 years and he hasn't had to see a vet since I took him in to get neutered when he was 4 months old. He was so cute then, and sweet to everyone. He is still cute, but does not really like other people, except at a distance. My husband kept telling me that Earlie liked him because everytime he went near his cage, Earlie would come to the bars and sniff at him. I told him that Earlie was tolerating him, but he didn't beleive me. One day, I hadn't latched his cage properly and Earlie was loose in the house. My husband not knowing any better, just knowing that Earlie needed to go back to his cage, grabbed him. Of course Earlie, bit him hard, several times, and so my husband threw him on my waterbed and shut the door. My husband developed some nerve damage in one of the fingers that Earlie bit, and now respects him and his immediate territory. When Earlie has gotten out before I always let him run to me, or grabbed him with a thick towel, to keep us both safe. That is another thing that I am concerned about ferret escape. It sounds like they are little Houdini's. I was looking at the old cages that I have in the shed and I have three or four pins that unscrew to lock around each of their doors. I had forgotten that. I know That PD's can flatten out and get through tiny spaces, or in do everything in their power to make a bigger space. When he yawns or in the Oct time frame when he is in the "season", even though he is fixed he still gets a bit cranky, and if woken up will show me those teeth. Reminds me of those undersea shows, of what a Moree eal looks like poking out of a rock. When he was just a pup, and easier to control, I would let him out and put up a gate. I wish I had a video camera of the day that he chased the cat with that open mouth. I still worry more about the cat laying on top of the cage and Earlie taking a big hunk out of him than the cat trying to eat Earlie.
My animals are pretty laid back, and don't fight each other for attention. They just push in. One day I had let my PD's out to play and one of them would not come back and I had to go. I told my husband not to open my door for any reason, because of the escapee. I got home and opened my bedroom door and saw the PD laying on her back enjoying the heck out of destroying the drawer underneath my bed, and lying a few feet away, the cat was laying there sleepily watching her, taking no interest at all. I had no idea that the cat was hiding underneath my bed when I left that day. I felt sick at what could have happened, but I felt better about the relationship between the two possible predator and prey relationship. Would I trust them alone now? No, not a chance, and I wouldn't trust Earlie with my Lab either. Earlie can be very annoying and one snap and he would be gone. My cat and the bird are a different thing. I always have to think about that, and make sure the cats are locked away when I am not here. The bird cage is up high and away from anything that can be used as a stair step to leap from. Still once even when I have been here the kitten, that is now missing ,had tried and was hanging by his claws to the netting on the bottom of the cage.
My bathroom is a tiny , tiny place and easy to animal proof. I used to sit on the floor with one of my wilder PD's and let them in there until they got a bit calmer. Same one that destroyed my drawers underneath my bed. I think that a ferret could be a good fit, using the bathroom temporaily as a safe zone, and a play pen for more exposure to the rest of the house and the creatures here with safety in mind. It is still the medical expense thing that worries me. As Pd"s age they often experience huge issues with their teeth growing up into their sinus cavities, and even with their teeth being filed down often have very painful, sad, expensive ends to their lives, and of course the usual cancer. Still, that isn't the issue that I would warn someone thinking about getting one about. It does not sound so far like ferret health issues are far and few, more like many and frequent. When one a furry creature steals your heart, those things, and even things like bites and nerve damage, aren't really important. I can prevent the attachment to begin with though.

[Deleted]

please really read all the advise you can get. if you choose to get a ferret dont do it with the thought that you have someone lined up to adopt him from you if you cant handle it. Ferrets bound with their people and although adopted ferts do very well it is heart breaking for them to be removed from their homes. Being owned by ferrets is a 24/7 thing. The rewards are numerous but the responibilities are even more.

[fleafighter]

here are some of my thoughts. first off if you are diligent enough the issues between your different pets should be limited,but over time there will be a mistake or unexpected "something" which will likely cause injury or death to a pet. ive got ferrets,small dogs,birds,chinchillas,hamsters & fish. the rodents & fish are here cause my brother wanted them,but i could easily do with out them,some of the birds too. i do love them all,the ferrets dogs & african grey are here for their lives-no question,but they present a constant worry & potential disaster.there have been a few problems, one ferret grabbed a chinchilla ear & later the grey. everyone lived, but it happens in the blink of an eye when theres multiple animals, multiple people,a miscommunication or an animal just feels energetic that day. if you do decide to get a ferret i would put its cage well above where the dog & prairie dog could reach,a stressed ferret will become sick. also make sure the bird wont sit on the cage,my amazon thought it was a good idea to sit on my cages i put up curtains in doorways to stop her. with lots of imagination & determintaion & FORESIGHT you should be able to limit problems,but youll be dealing with multiple determined,maybe destructive animals. a ferret will want to spend time around you,not be caged,so if you already spend most of your time with the other animals you may not have the time for a ferret,or you would be shortening your time with all of them by adding a ferret to the group. if thats the case youd be stressing most of them which could make chaos. i think you should find a shelter & go see some ferrets,spend time around them,see how they are,it would give you a look at different ages of ferrets & some ferrety behaviors.
someone mention ferrets getting into mouse holes. ive had ferrets 10 years never had one get out or get in walls or anything like that till this spring. one went missing. someone brought me their baby girl cause they knew my guy was gone.she crawled in a mouse hole that no other ferret has even been able to get their head in. she was in the wall about an hour & i had to pull her out,she couldnt fit her fat belly back out by herself. they make ways to do things that are impossible for any other critter.
as everyone has said medical costs can be outrageous & ferrets health frustrating,if you can save money as you go,not for routine care,but for an emergency or surgery later in life thats the way to go. some things youre likely to encounter,typical things for a lot of ferrets,are ear mites,possibly coccidia or other bacterial infection if youre ferret comes from a pet store. ferrets also get hairballs & must be given a hairball remedy a few times a week. many will eat cloth,rubber or similiar things which can kill them if it blocks them up.a serious blockage means surgery. ferrets get a number of virus's some ferret specific,some from dogs,some from people. even if your ferret gets a human cold/flu youre looking at round the clock monitering and/or hand feeding/giving fluids. the more serious sicknesses mean vet attention & close monitering until theyre healthy.
honestly nothing ive said is to thwart your attempt at ferret owning. only trying to inform you of some things to really think about. most people think a ferret is a big hamster- put it in a cage & feed it. every time my ferrets have gone out to town or ive told someone i have ferrets theres someone there to tell me they had a ferret & it died or got away,maybe it bit them or was sick so they gave it away or turned it loose,maybe their dog killed it. ive made a point to give anyone whos mildly interested in ferrets enough information that they think differently about them, not that they shouldnt get one- theyre wonderful- but that they should plan ahead & learn more before they bring home a fuzzy.

[greta]

Somehow I have the impression that you've already made up your mind you are going to get a ferret, but are trying to cover all the bases as to its care and handling. Your research is commendable but it doesn't ensure that a ferret will be a desireable pet for you. Maybe it will help if you make a list with Pros in one column and Cons in the other. Please think carefully and long before bringing a ferret into your home. These little creatures of God are completely dependent on their owners for their food and water, their health and their safety among many other things. As neosmom has stated, ferrets develop a very strong attachment to their owners and sometimes even die of depression when they are separated from the people they love or another ferret to whom they have bonded strongly.

I have two of the playpens of which you speak. Each of the playpens has one cover which can be used either as a top or a bottom. I use them as tops to prevent predatory birds from snatching my little ones when they're outside in the shade enjoying fresh air and new surroundings in the warm months of the year. Once when TT was still with me, he decided he wanted out of the playpen and began a running jump, reaching for the playpen top. (I had not yet purchased the covers at this time.) TT did this at least 30 times (ferrets are very persistent), and my son noticed his paw pads were beet red. I realized from TT's panting that he was suffering from heat stroke and lifted him into my arms and ran for the nearby backyard pond. I dipped TT's paws and his little belly in the cool pond water and rushed him into the house to cool him and administer first aid. It was three or four days before TT recovered from his experience and his vet was out of town. The vet tech I talked to told me I was doing everything right, but it gave me a scare I'll never forget. Even though the playpens my kiddies have are interlocking, they do not provide enough room for my energetic little Munchkins. They are used to having the whole house at their disposal during the hours they are out playing. The rest of the time my kiddies are kept in their own room which is heated in Winter and air conditioned in summer. The only time they are caged is at night when I am sleeping. Depriving a ferret of adequate room and out time can result in them becommint lethargic and depressed. If this happens, chances are they will refuse to eat and if they do get out, they will go wild with the joy of their freedom. Someday a ferret may be a right fit for you, but right now it's my opinion you'll find it just isn't working out at all. I hope this helps you. Hugs, Greta

[linkie2001]

Vervette, I think that it's great that you look for infos before you get a ferret ...

Here's some more for you from Jack Dawson ...

www.soyouwanna.com/site/syws/ferret/ferret.html

www.mdferretpaws.org/care/thinkingabout.html




" A lady at work has several ferrets and I was telling her about all of these things that I was thinking about and she said if after all of my reasearch, I decide to get one and then find out this was a really bad idea, she would adopt the little fuzzy from me. "

Would it be possible for you to ask that lady if you & your husband could come to visit her
to see (or to smell, yes they have an odor and some people don't like) what it's like to have ferrets

Many people have to get rid of their ferret because they are or become allergic ...
that's sad to know just after getting one ... know what I mean.
I am allergic to cats, birds, horses, etc but not to ferrets. When I've got Cookie RIP my first ferret, I have kept that little guy for half an hour in my arms at the petstore to know if I was allergic or not, and I wasn't !!!
allergies.about.com/od/animalandpetallergy/a/ferretallergy.htm

Many people get rid of their ferret because they realized just after getting one that they don't have the patience or the time to take care of them also.

Ferrets are high maintenance pets, they need time out of their cage at least 2 hours in the morning and 2 hours in the evening, the rest of the time they like to sleep !!!

Ferrets lovers used to say that a ferret ... it's like a forever kitten, it keeps you on your toes always !!! Some say that it's like a human 2 years old kid who can fit his head (AND his whole body) in a 2 inches squared hole, that's why a safe ferret-proofed home is so important, and you have to keep in mind that it's never over LOL ferrets have lots of imagination LOL

The best thing for you would be to go and see someone who has ferrets, or there's maybe a shelter in your area ... where are you from ?

[huronna]

I'm really glad that everyone is helping here with their opinions and thoughts.

[Deleted]

I have made my last and final decision . I still think these creatures are incredibly sweet, playful, and beloved companians in the right home, but that isn't mine. Inspite of the first sentence, now behind all that good stuff, I see unfortunate genetically flawed expensive, heartbreaking situations, just waiting to happen. I went to the lady at work who had been telling me how much she loved hers, and encouraged me to get two, and would have taken mine if I couldn't do it after all, and asked her about the sickness and sudden death thing, and her face fell. Suddenly she remembered why she has lost so many, and keeps several. I don't think that she really thinks about it that way. She probably thinks of it as having more of a good thing and watching them play together, providing social networking for one another. In my opinion anyway, and from the other things I have read about ferret owners , tending to have more than one, I think that is probably part of the underlying reason. I could not put myself in the place where it was very possible that one or more of my animals could very likely die suddenly from the way they came from the Creater. All animals can die suddenly, without apparent cause, and everytime I choose to add one to my life, that day will come, and I don't dwell on it, until it happens. It just seems like with a ferret, I woudn't be able to stop thinking about that, and through the law of attraction, accidentially draw that to me. I put the cage back in the shed, and brought in my cat carrier, closing the decision making process. I value all of the information that everyone here provided to me. I will miss out on the joy of watching them play, and becoming an important part of my menagerie, but am being spared the grief.

I tend to like the unusual soft , furry, cuddly pets, and have determined through this exercise and other research, that I was very fortunate to have accidentally purchased my first PD 20 years ago,and not a ferret or a chinchilla. Their biggest drawback is their destructive nature, and always, always , remembering that they are a wild animal, that was captured, and retains that wild nature, inspite of how tame they get. Because of the whole Gambian rat, Monkey Pox issue, there had been a ban on the sale, and transport of PD's since the year I had gotten my 2, but that was lifted this last September. They are very expensive $200 + and only available in the early summer right after the pups start emerging from their dens, after their birth in the spring. Then there are the issues of how they were caught, inhumane vaccum machines that traumatize and potentially injure them, or by very brave rescue people that reach down into the burrows putting their digits at risk. I don't want to support inhumanity or cruelty, and of course I want a PD that isn't crazy wild and freaked out to begin with. Part of the reason for rescue efforts are the poisonings of PD town and PD hunts. Part of our legal arguements against these things are saving the black footed ferret. They need preserving and PD's are part of their diet.
Again, I want to thank all of you for helping me to get to this decison. My hope is that you will have many, many, days of boundless joy with your fuzzies!

[Deleted]

OMG greta i completly forgot about the air conditioner issue. we have one and only one in our house. used to be in our bedroom but now it gets put in the kitchen every summer for the benifit of the babies. They get nice cool constant temps in the low 70's all summer and keith and i deal with sometimes 90 degree sweat soaked nites. The things we do for our fuzz butts!!!!

[huronna]

I think you have made a wise and intelligent decision. Ferrets are not for everyone and what you did to decide was what we would wise everyone would do. Ask question, weigh all the answers and decide wisely what is best for each situation.

In my situation, the hardest thing to do is go on a vacation. There is no one near me that I would feel comfortable taking my little ones in for a few weeks at a time. And I would miss them so. I live in Florida and one of my friends who had a shelter here, moved to Albama 3 years ago. She no longer has a shelter and so we make arrangements that she comes to my house to stay (it gives her a chance to visit her daughter and grandchildren) She brings her 3 ferrets with her and luckily they get along very well with mine, and stays at my house. I like for my ferrets to stay at home in familar surroundings. I'm almost 64 and my husband has already retired (works a part time job though) and would like to travel. He keeps saying, what "they cross the bridge" we aren't going to replace them. But he's as much of a softie as I am. I think I'll be 105 and still have at least one ferret LOL

I hope you know that you are more than welcome to stick around. We'll just cal you a "ferret-wanna-be" , we have a couple of members of this category. They love the stories and photos and videos, and cry with us when we loose one. But they know that ferrets are just not the pet for them, even though they love them from a distance

[Deleted]

Thank you for your kind words. Yes, I probably will check in from time to time, just to get my "ferret fix" from a safe distance. I am an animal communicator and if it is OK , I might check in with a sick or injured ferret asking them what they need, or want and telling them what kind of help is planned for them. Finding lost animals is much more difficult. It is often hard to distinguish if they are still in their bodies and often they really can't be of much help with the surroundings. I have found that to be true with my missing cat. I think the members here are wonderful. The ferret positives speak for themselves, but I needed to hear the other side. It is amazing what we do for our animal companians. My husband thinks I am a bit "touched" mentally when it comes to them. Until he saw all of the things that I did and some of the things that I am continuing to do, for my lost Spud, he didn't get how much it grieved me that he is missing. I still check the pound several times a week, and the found ads, and look for him in my neighborhood, hoping. On one hand I am trying to let it go and accept this, but on the other am hoping for his sudden return. My daughters aging cat had slipped out and been gone for 2 months. She had relunctantly decided that the cat might have disappeared to die and to spare she and her family the drama and trauma. When she saw a cat near her house that looked like Lucy , would rush over to investigate, just in case. A couple of days ago, after an absence of 8 weeks, Lucy was lounging around her front lawn. That's my hope.

[wildbunch]

Well we hope you find your pet.

[greta]

I agree that you've made a very wise and intelligent decidion, girlfriend. Ferrets are like our little children and losing one is like losing a human child. It takes years to get over the sadness everytime we think of our departed babies. Not a day goes by that I don't think about my three original little darlings. Ferrets are also like Lays potato chips. You can't have just one. We call this Ferret Math. I started out with just Nada but my ferret crew grew to 4 babies at one time and rinally dwindled to the two that now lay claim to my heart.

Your discussion about Praririe Dogs is fascinating! I so enjoyed reading about your experiences with them. Thank you for educating us about these charming creatures of the wild, my Friend.

Huronna mentions the difficulty of taking vacations. I can't even leave my babies overnight because of their constant needs. Ferrets are not like cats. You can't just fill their food and water bowls, provide them a litter pan and then take off for the weekend. I've travelled 70 miles one way to find someone I trust to care for my babies when I've had surgery or when my children treat me to a vacation. That same 70 miles must be covered when one of my babies needs to see a veterinarian.

Please stay with us and come visit on a regular basis if you're able. You'll enjoy the activities that go on here and we'll enjoy your stories about your wonderful pets, too. I am so happy about your decision. A ferret or ferrets would just be too big a responsibility for your household with all the drawbacks to ferrets that exist in your home. Hugs, Greta