Post by rene on Mar 23, 2009 15:27:29 GMT -5
Thouht that I had posted this but it didn't show up.
Charcoal and I are still working on the trust issues. I realized a couple of weeks ago, when my Richardson Ground Squirrels were running around my room and climbing on me that I held very different feelings and expectations for and from them. I didn’t freak out when they sniffed my skin, or crawled around my neck and face, or when I reached out to pick them up. They are fast and have sharp teeth, and can do some real nasty damage, but they just never have, so I presume they won’t. They have put their teeth on me from time to time, and I am always surprised and ask them what the heck they think they are doing, and remind them that they do not bite, and they don’t. In the back of my mind I am always aware of what they can do, and don’t play directly with them. If they want to rough house with each other and hop and squeak that is Ok, but not with me. It is considered an act of aggression with me, and I can’t let them think it is ok, If they get squirmy and want to go back to their cage, I remind them that they are fine, and that I am taking them back , right now.
That day, I realized that I needed to forgive and forget, Charcoal’s unprovoked attacks, Forget that he was licking his chops after he bit me. He might have just been really scared of this new giant, no matter how quietly she spoke or slowly she moved. I needed to replace those ugly pictures in my mind with the pictures of him cuddling with the lady at our play date, and the feelings of trust that I have with my RGS’s. Wear my socks and protective gear on my hands for sure, but expect that I won’t need it. Expect that he will be a perfect gentleman ferret. It is getting somewhat easier. I waffle back and forth between wondering if one ferret was too many or if I should look into a corner cage so maybe I could get him a friend to play with. My RGs live in a ferret cage with a wheel to run on. When I let them out to run, I let Charcoal in their cage to see if he would like more room and how he would use it. He didn’t run on the wheel but he did like going up and down on the two levels. He stuck his snout in their food dish, and threw it around, like “What the heck kind of food is this” Seeds and grain and hay, are you kidding me? He then tried every nook and cranny to see if there was a convenient escape area. I had been mobility issues all last week, and had difficulty walking. I couldn’t step on the step ladder to climb to his cage and clean it out. The best I could do, was throw food in his dish, and pull out the dirty t-shirts out an replace them with clean ones. I am much better this week, and I saw his potty corner and I felt so bad! When I go home tonight, first thing after the dogs go out, I am going to let him out and clean his cage. Poor baby, stuck in that nasty cage. Tomorrow will be soon enough to put together the soup.
Charcoal and I are still working on the trust issues. I realized a couple of weeks ago, when my Richardson Ground Squirrels were running around my room and climbing on me that I held very different feelings and expectations for and from them. I didn’t freak out when they sniffed my skin, or crawled around my neck and face, or when I reached out to pick them up. They are fast and have sharp teeth, and can do some real nasty damage, but they just never have, so I presume they won’t. They have put their teeth on me from time to time, and I am always surprised and ask them what the heck they think they are doing, and remind them that they do not bite, and they don’t. In the back of my mind I am always aware of what they can do, and don’t play directly with them. If they want to rough house with each other and hop and squeak that is Ok, but not with me. It is considered an act of aggression with me, and I can’t let them think it is ok, If they get squirmy and want to go back to their cage, I remind them that they are fine, and that I am taking them back , right now.
That day, I realized that I needed to forgive and forget, Charcoal’s unprovoked attacks, Forget that he was licking his chops after he bit me. He might have just been really scared of this new giant, no matter how quietly she spoke or slowly she moved. I needed to replace those ugly pictures in my mind with the pictures of him cuddling with the lady at our play date, and the feelings of trust that I have with my RGS’s. Wear my socks and protective gear on my hands for sure, but expect that I won’t need it. Expect that he will be a perfect gentleman ferret. It is getting somewhat easier. I waffle back and forth between wondering if one ferret was too many or if I should look into a corner cage so maybe I could get him a friend to play with. My RGs live in a ferret cage with a wheel to run on. When I let them out to run, I let Charcoal in their cage to see if he would like more room and how he would use it. He didn’t run on the wheel but he did like going up and down on the two levels. He stuck his snout in their food dish, and threw it around, like “What the heck kind of food is this” Seeds and grain and hay, are you kidding me? He then tried every nook and cranny to see if there was a convenient escape area. I had been mobility issues all last week, and had difficulty walking. I couldn’t step on the step ladder to climb to his cage and clean it out. The best I could do, was throw food in his dish, and pull out the dirty t-shirts out an replace them with clean ones. I am much better this week, and I saw his potty corner and I felt so bad! When I go home tonight, first thing after the dogs go out, I am going to let him out and clean his cage. Poor baby, stuck in that nasty cage. Tomorrow will be soon enough to put together the soup.
