Quail_Antwerp: Words from the Barnyard...
- Thread starter Quail_Antwerp
- Start date
- Thread starter
- #412
Quail_Antwerp
Cold is on the Right, Hot is on The Left
keljonma said:They are adorable, QA! Maybe we should call you "crazy ferret farmer"!
yea, maybe the Crazy Ferret Lady LOL Not really farming ferrets.PP, 8 is my limit. DH and I both said that's a nice even number. More than enough to have fun with them, not so many that we can't feed or properly house them.
ETA: Although we had discussed possibly opening a ferret rescue/shelter, but not sure that I want that responsibility while trying to raise a family.
lorihadams
Always doing laundry
Oh my good sweet lord, girl! What are we gonna do with you? Ferrets are not Lays potato chips, ya know! I gotta stop showing my kids your pics of all your ferrets or I'll end up with one, or two, cause you know my MIL, each grandbaby has to have one!
They ARE cute little devils. We had one once...liked to steal and hide quarters, just the quarters mind you, from our change jar under the bed. Well, one day my boyfriend at the time discovered that his wallet was missing and lo and behold the ferret had taken it and put it on top of his massive pile of quarters under the bed! They are definitely smarter than people give them credit for!
They ARE cute little devils. We had one once...liked to steal and hide quarters, just the quarters mind you, from our change jar under the bed. Well, one day my boyfriend at the time discovered that his wallet was missing and lo and behold the ferret had taken it and put it on top of his massive pile of quarters under the bed! They are definitely smarter than people give them credit for!
- Thread starter
- #414
Quail_Antwerp
Cold is on the Right, Hot is on The Left
Funny, on one of the ferret sites I belong to, someone's sig says, "Ferrets are like potato chips. You can't have just one." LOLOL
I was told today that Izzy B is officially mine! Her full name is Gracie Isabella Faith Turner (meaning her initials spell Gift!)
I really only intended to have one ferret, and that was Meeko, my first ferret. Snickers we only took in because his owner was starving him to death. I couldn't let that happen. Mocha we got because someone said she bit and they surrendered her to a breeder who didn't have any where to keep her with their personals. For one year that was it, 3 ferrets...then DH agreed to get me River and Kodo for my b-day and Christmas.
Then my friend who runs the shelter had sweet little Chance, who was supposed to get adopted but the individual never showed up. Chance is my friends FIRST shelter kid, and I was talking to her about him and I asked her if I could adopt him. She was thrilled!
Tiko was brought to us by the neighbor down the road because she had starved his cagemate to death. He was needing better care.
Izzy B stole my heart from the first time I saw her pic!
In two years, we grew to 8! I told DH I'm putting the brakes on! NO MORE!
I was told today that Izzy B is officially mine! Her full name is Gracie Isabella Faith Turner (meaning her initials spell Gift!)
I really only intended to have one ferret, and that was Meeko, my first ferret. Snickers we only took in because his owner was starving him to death. I couldn't let that happen. Mocha we got because someone said she bit and they surrendered her to a breeder who didn't have any where to keep her with their personals. For one year that was it, 3 ferrets...then DH agreed to get me River and Kodo for my b-day and Christmas.
Then my friend who runs the shelter had sweet little Chance, who was supposed to get adopted but the individual never showed up. Chance is my friends FIRST shelter kid, and I was talking to her about him and I asked her if I could adopt him. She was thrilled!
Tiko was brought to us by the neighbor down the road because she had starved his cagemate to death. He was needing better care.
Izzy B stole my heart from the first time I saw her pic!
In two years, we grew to 8! I told DH I'm putting the brakes on! NO MORE!
punkin
Don't Quote Me
I just read your sig line.
Do you turn all those furry little faces loose at once? I'll bet that's a show.
- Thread starter
- #416
Quail_Antwerp
Cold is on the Right, Hot is on The Left
Oh yea! It's a blast! they run and jump and war dance all over the place...then they poop in a corner and rub their butts on my carpetpunkin said:
I just read your sig line.
Do you turn all those furry little faces loose at once? I'll bet that's a show.
Beekissed
Mountain Sage
Now, that would end all the cuteness for me, right there!
This new kitten we got has started a not-so-charming habit....the boys have been letting him inside to "visit" and keep forgetting that he's a little guy and must go potty on occasion! Twice the poor fellow has pooped in the bathtub!
At least he chose a place I can clean and disinfect, but I've banned him from visits until he gets a little older and understands to "use the door"~indicate that he needs to go out by "asking" for the door.
He actually indicated the door the other night and I was very proud of him, so I'm wondering if the boys just aren't noticing his cues and he just can't hold it any longer!
- Thread starter
- #418
Quail_Antwerp
Cold is on the Right, Hot is on The Left
It could be, Bee. I have a calico who will not use a litter box, but she goes to the door like a dog would. Smart Kitty!
They don't smear poo on my carpets, wanted to make that clear. They have a corner with a piece of linoleum all their own. I just wipe it down, spritz it with cage clean (and lysol!) and put it back for them. Usually if one drags their tush on my carpet that's a sign of another issue.
Now for the most part, Tiko, River, and Kodo go back to their cage and use the litter box. No pooing in the corner. LOL
They don't smear poo on my carpets, wanted to make that clear. They have a corner with a piece of linoleum all their own. I just wipe it down, spritz it with cage clean (and lysol!) and put it back for them. Usually if one drags their tush on my carpet that's a sign of another issue.
Now for the most part, Tiko, River, and Kodo go back to their cage and use the litter box. No pooing in the corner. LOL
- Thread starter
- #419
Quail_Antwerp
Cold is on the Right, Hot is on The Left
Below is Chance's story, my soon to be fert. I asked permission from his shelter mom to share this with you. He had a different name to start with, but I chose the name Chance because he was getting the chance for a real home with us.
Chances Story
Chance was purchased as a kit from a local pet store. His first owner went to prison and left him in the care of his roommate. Six months later, the roommate also went to prison and left Chance in the care of his sister and her family. He lived with the sister for about a year. The sister, unsure how to care for a ferret, did the best she could but still did not properly care for little Chance. He lived in a cage designed for guinea pigs. When it fell apart, rather than purchase another cage for him, they moved Chance into a rabbit cage outside. We are unsure how long he lived outside. When she contacted Grape Tail Ferret Rescue about surrendering Chance, it was over 100 F (37.77 C) for several days in a row. There were thunderstorms, rain, and just generally no relief from the elements for him. He had no blankets to cuddle into or any protection from the weather. The cage had a wire bottom.
When the sister brought Chance to be surrendered, she and her husband were in a state of shock over the other ferrets having bedding. They kept saying Look at all the soft stuff honey to each other. They had to come in and make sure the shelter would provide the proper care for Chance and treat him correctly. (Dont get me started on that one!) As shelter mom, I bit my tongue and could not wait to get my hands on that boy! I asked her if she brought some of his current food and she walked out to her car. She opened the hatch and there was a 30 lb (13.64 kg) bag of store brand cat food. She picked up a used, dirty soda cup from the floorboard of the car and scooped out a cup of the food. This should last you a week or so. Is it enough?
Once they left, I did a quick assessment of his overall condition. He was somewhat dehydrated but not seriously. I placed him on the floor and he went straight to the water dish and drank. He was yellow and had dark brown patches and some type of sore on his neck. His nails had not been trimmed in a very long time. His ears were black and I knew he probably had ear mites. His teeth were rather yellow but surprisingly had no tartar buildup. I reluctantly offered him some of his regular food (being extremely careful to not get any of the kibble that had touched the cup) and a bowl of Totally Ferret. He sniffed at his regular food and then gorged himself on Totally Ferret. I tossed the cat food out immediately. After a day of grooming his nails and ears, we were off to the vet. The sore on his neck was a mast cell tumor he managed to dig out scratching with his long nails. He did have ear mites -- bad. Overall his general health looked good and the vet believed him to be around 2 to 3 years old. That evening, Chance received a bath which helped remove some of the grime from living outside. We had to change his bath water several times. Eventually we gave up changing the water and just washed him under the faucet. He seemed to enjoy all the attention.
I listed Chance for adoption as a marked white. He had some markings on his tail and face. After a month or so of good food, soupie, comfortable living conditions, and lots of TLC, we realized Chance was a DEW (dark eyed white). He had no clue what a toy was when he came into shelter. He soon discovered rattle toys and loved them. His Santy Paws from the 2008 Giving Tree gave him a box of goodies. Chance knew right away these were for him! He got a small stuffed puppy and kitten that he would not sleep without. He adored his new blue blanket. If anyone or another ferret tried to take his new toys or snuggle into his blanket, he turned into a hissing ball of fluff!
On December 21, 2008 Chance began the first leg of his journey to his forever home. His new family waited on him a long time while receiving updates via email and pms. Lots of pictures were sent to his new Mom. We will miss our little boy but are thrilled to know he will never again endure the previous life he had. Thank you Aly for giving him the love and home he deserves.
Chances Story
Chance was purchased as a kit from a local pet store. His first owner went to prison and left him in the care of his roommate. Six months later, the roommate also went to prison and left Chance in the care of his sister and her family. He lived with the sister for about a year. The sister, unsure how to care for a ferret, did the best she could but still did not properly care for little Chance. He lived in a cage designed for guinea pigs. When it fell apart, rather than purchase another cage for him, they moved Chance into a rabbit cage outside. We are unsure how long he lived outside. When she contacted Grape Tail Ferret Rescue about surrendering Chance, it was over 100 F (37.77 C) for several days in a row. There were thunderstorms, rain, and just generally no relief from the elements for him. He had no blankets to cuddle into or any protection from the weather. The cage had a wire bottom.
When the sister brought Chance to be surrendered, she and her husband were in a state of shock over the other ferrets having bedding. They kept saying Look at all the soft stuff honey to each other. They had to come in and make sure the shelter would provide the proper care for Chance and treat him correctly. (Dont get me started on that one!) As shelter mom, I bit my tongue and could not wait to get my hands on that boy! I asked her if she brought some of his current food and she walked out to her car. She opened the hatch and there was a 30 lb (13.64 kg) bag of store brand cat food. She picked up a used, dirty soda cup from the floorboard of the car and scooped out a cup of the food. This should last you a week or so. Is it enough?
Once they left, I did a quick assessment of his overall condition. He was somewhat dehydrated but not seriously. I placed him on the floor and he went straight to the water dish and drank. He was yellow and had dark brown patches and some type of sore on his neck. His nails had not been trimmed in a very long time. His ears were black and I knew he probably had ear mites. His teeth were rather yellow but surprisingly had no tartar buildup. I reluctantly offered him some of his regular food (being extremely careful to not get any of the kibble that had touched the cup) and a bowl of Totally Ferret. He sniffed at his regular food and then gorged himself on Totally Ferret. I tossed the cat food out immediately. After a day of grooming his nails and ears, we were off to the vet. The sore on his neck was a mast cell tumor he managed to dig out scratching with his long nails. He did have ear mites -- bad. Overall his general health looked good and the vet believed him to be around 2 to 3 years old. That evening, Chance received a bath which helped remove some of the grime from living outside. We had to change his bath water several times. Eventually we gave up changing the water and just washed him under the faucet. He seemed to enjoy all the attention.
I listed Chance for adoption as a marked white. He had some markings on his tail and face. After a month or so of good food, soupie, comfortable living conditions, and lots of TLC, we realized Chance was a DEW (dark eyed white). He had no clue what a toy was when he came into shelter. He soon discovered rattle toys and loved them. His Santy Paws from the 2008 Giving Tree gave him a box of goodies. Chance knew right away these were for him! He got a small stuffed puppy and kitten that he would not sleep without. He adored his new blue blanket. If anyone or another ferret tried to take his new toys or snuggle into his blanket, he turned into a hissing ball of fluff!
On December 21, 2008 Chance began the first leg of his journey to his forever home. His new family waited on him a long time while receiving updates via email and pms. Lots of pictures were sent to his new Mom. We will miss our little boy but are thrilled to know he will never again endure the previous life he had. Thank you Aly for giving him the love and home he deserves.
keljonma
Epicurean Goddess
Poor fella! What a life!
