Tales of a Squirrely Ferret ... Snitch's Web Blog

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SATURDAY, DEC 29 Three years and I'm now well set in several habits. I'm a little more playful these days -- always wanting to pounce or wrestle something. If all else fails (meaning I'm not getting the attention I want), I'm getting pretty adept at wrapping myself around an ankle and wrestling a sock. My favoirte pastime is shuttling a long string of red plastic beads across the kitchen floor to my stash under the bookcase (where they are found, extracted, and put back into play on the kitchen floor). I was deeply involved in all the gift wrapping this year -- but not in any constructive sense. Crunching through tissue paper and absconding with the ribbon, lol. Notice, above, that I now have a fan club and a job! •

SATURDAY, OCT 28 Halloween! The first order of the day is me. Foremost, a bath. I have accepted the bath routine now, but it took us some time to get beyond my initial panic. I didn't like deep or running water and was all claws and struggle. Now, I will lay across Susan's hand while just my feet touch the sink bottom in warm water to my stomach. Gently, she scoops water, soaps me then scoops again. We rinse in another sink, then I'm a rocket out of the towel to scurry to rub and roll dry. I'm fluffy and handsome again, and rather dapper even if I must say so myself! Susan totally dismantles and cleans my cage and bedding before escorting me home again. Good now until New Years, then Spring when I start shedding. •

FRIDAY, JUL 28 There are three important tools for peaceful ferret parenthood ("ownership" shouldn't apply to pets). As Snitch has at least five favorite hiding places around the house (under bookcase, under bed, under sofa, under dresser), my only hope of ever retrieving those missing keys or batteries is a broomstick, a flashlight and good back/knees! While chasing those keys or batteries under the bed, I discover other stashed treasures like cold medicine, artificial fruit, ribbon, empty tubes, caps, breakfast bars, a pouch of drill bits, and more, and still more. Stuff snitched from suitcases, make-up bags, table tops, the toolbox, my purse and shopping bags. It is so funny to see his behavior pattern after so many retrievals. I will corral everything, dispose of the molding finds and leave the rest in various shopping bags on the sofa for Snitch to re-discover and re-hide. The breakfast bar ALWAYS ends up in the same corner at the foot of the bed. The hairbrushes ALWAYS end up at the head of the bed with his favorite stuffed daschund. Tubes and round things ALWAYS end up under the bookcase. Etc. •

SUNDAY, MAR 4 "Mischievious" : My kitchen floor is flooded and it is all Snitch's doing. I've been busy dressing and something tells me Snitch has been strangely absent. This usually means he is getting into mischief. Sure enough. I step in the kitchen to find him having a ball with one of the gallon jugs of distilled water I keep under the coffeemaker. He is trying to drag it toward his favorite hiding place and the jug is a spouting fountain where his sharp teeth have punctured it! •

SUNDAY, JAN 15 "Close Call" : I am sitting here with 3 swollen and bloody fingers and Snitch is in hiding. We're both a little traumatized and in shock ... 7:30am CST Snitch was loose and, before I could reach him, he's decided to make another attempt to explore his "forbidden place" ... the gas fireplace. I have tried many, many times to scare him away from the fireplace but he is drawn to climbing over the logs, diving down between the burners and crawling among the tubing, batter connections and wiring - urgh!

Every time, he forces his way around the big metal outside screen and the inside screen, and twists, dives and crawls where I am sure will be beyond my help if he runs into trouble - the fire insert (the burners and wiring) is all one piece - it is NOT something that will come apart. Should he get into trouble, we're both gonna be in trouble. Well, that was 2 hours ago.

Today, he went straight toward the back to dive down between log and burner and - in stepping around a match-shaped piece of enamaled metal - Snitch managed to get the metal impaled in his thigh. I was already up to coax him out, when he started screaming, as there is just no way to reach in and yank him out. There he is, twisted and contorted between log and burner screaming his head off and manically trying to back up and free himself. Screaming and screaming, I put my hand under the burner and try to support him upward to take the pressure off his thigh -- I still don't know what the problem is, my mind is thinking broken leg/ankle. He is screaming and fighting, biting me over and over and over in fear and pain. He pauses, breathing heavy - we both pause, then he's back to screaming and fighting - I'm talking calmly to him the whole time. Oh, my God - who do I call for help? If I run for the phone, he'll tear himself and maybe worsen the wound. He continues to fight and bite out of fear altho, some how, I think he knows I'm trying to help. God, I can't see ANY way to take the insert apart - I wish I had the meds to knock Snitch out while I find the answer. I finally feel his leg enough to guess it's metal IN his hide and, with a prayer and a quick flick of a fingernail, I pop skin back over the top of the metal and, with one last scream, he is free.

He runs under furniture - no blood trail, good. He's not crying any more. He seems to move ok. It takes another 30 minutes to coax him out. He is walking ok and eats a bit before hiding from the cruel world deep in his sleeping tent in his cage. Twelve hours later, he's his old self. I guess I'll take him to the vet tomorrow for a check over. Snitch may have gotten off with a relatively small lesson. Whew! •

First Year

MONDAY, SEP 19 "All's Fair" : It's time to clean out Snitch's hiding space under the bed. His stash included: 2 blueberry break fast bars; 2 energy bars, 1 medicine top, 1 empty film canister, 1 spray can top, 3 Christmas bells, favorite stuffed toy, old toothbrush, a walnut, a pen, a well-chewed plastic green pepper, and nasal spray. He's already busy dragging things back even before cleaning is done. We're also celebrating his 1st birthday this month. •

THURSDAY, July 7 After a week of fun, the house is quiet(er) and our holiday guests SableMae, Halle and Switch are now back home. SableMae was first to befriend me. I was extremely nervous because I already had a bad run-in with another ferret. Once I knew Miz Sable was all kisses, I quickly trusted Halle and Switch too. Soon we all were running everywhere together hiding anything loose under the sofas or bed (including car keys). •

SATURDAY, MAY 7 ... With a (so very) gentle toss, Susan launches me into my most favorite play time and onto a giant pile of bed pillows. I scramble back out of the pillows jumping across the bed dooking for more. The game goes on, I duck under covers, come back up and do it all again. I had a bad scare today when I slipped out the back door - I didn't like it and panicked. •

EASTER SUNDAY, MARCH 27 ... Spring Training. With winter weather behind us now, the time has come to get me used to leash walking. My spring training will be getting out more. I've already gotten used to my harness but the pull of the leash scares me so my first ventures outside were nerve-wracking. This is going to take time. •

SUNDAY, MARCH 3 ... I have officially outgrown my first and most favorite sleeping nook. With one last snooze for old times sake and body parts hanging out of both ends, I move to the hammock above full time. My latest photo really shows what a big guy I've become. I've recently discovered what fun a tub can be (on my terms) and I'm enjoying the water. •

SATURDAY, FEBURARY 19 ... Tastes continue to change for this growing boy. I've moved from grapes to Bandit treats and Fruit 'n Crunch. I still love my stuff toy (see January 5 entry) and any chance to prowl in open kitchen cabinets. FerretWelfare.com will be accepting two surrendered cagemates next weekend (both boys). Plans are to quarantine them and hold them for adoption from here. I've never played with other ferrets, so this could be an interesting phase for me (but we won't be sharing a cage). •

FRIDAY, JANUARY 31 ... Today I went back to see Dr. Noel for my last vaccinations, and I'm officially to adult weight (2#,6) having gained almost a pound in the last 7 weeks. I got high praise for having good manners and Dr. Noel said it is good that I've been introduced to a variety of foods, too. She said that we can become very picky eaters which can make a diet change during illness all that more difficult. I am now very fond of Totally Ferret dry food, Totally Ferret treats, and 8-1 Hairball Remedy. I'm regularly squirreling away items under Susan's bed with my biggest prize so far being a super-sized double pack of shampoo and conditioner. And, Preston, hugs and thanks for your donations to our rescue quarantine center. You are a special friend! - stay tuned! •

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 5 ... What a landmark day! I got a new daschund plush toy and was so happy, I "dooked" for the first time! I "he-he" a lot but have never dooked. Dooking is the soft cooing us ferrets make to express pure joy [listen] - our version of a whale call. Some "fuzzies" never dook but this new toy is such fun to pounce on and drag around, I did it twice! Susan has named my toy "Weinerschnetzel." I'm still a growing boy and my next training will be going out in public - stay tuned! Happy New Year from Nashville!

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 24 ... Today Preston and Garrison Horswill-Johnston came to play with me. We wrestled, played sneak-attack under the sofa and ran all around the house - whew! Preston's sleeve was too small for me to crawl up, so he needs to wear a bigger shirt next time. Preston was good a playing with me under the blanket. Garrison was gentle when he carried me. The whole family wears very interesting shoes I had to explore. All that running wore me out, so I drank a little water then fell straight to sleep. Merry Christmas from Nashville!

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 21 ... Have you noticed I like to tuck my front legs under me? Typical. People say ferrets only make a sound when they excited or hurt - I'm a lot like that, too but I DO make little calls. The sound Susan hears most is the quick patting of my feet as I dart across the carpet. I've been wearing a walking harness lately so I wouldn't be such a squirm-worm while at the vet today. I traveled in a pet carrier and, luckily, today was not like the last few days which have been below freezing outside. My vet is Dr. Noel Lucas. She weighed me (1#10oz) and gave me a clean bill of health (no ear mites or other problems) and my last distemper and rabies shots :-(. She also gave me a lot of praise for being such a gentleman. Doc Noel was very familiar with my kind (ferrets) and we got along real well. She said that, in the ferret world, I will be considered an old man by the time I'm four, and that we tend to start developing adrenal and lymphatic problems with age - bummer. I am a bit exhausted from all the excitement and bit of stress but ok. Got to get ready for company - lots of visitors coming for a Christmas buffet tonight. I'll rest until then. • Bye from Nashville!

MONDAY, DECEMBER 13 ... I just got my first card today! It's from my new friend Preston Horswill-Johnston who may be coming to see me next week. Hi, Preston! I've outgrown just playing on the sofa and love to explore the house to investigate corners for new hiding places. Once I find a good hiding place, I like to run out into the room then scurry back. I like poking my nose out from under the den sofa and wrestling, best. Earlier tonight I had a great adventure -- I discovered a gap under the bathroom cabinet and crawled in. It was such a good secret place and I was so quiet, Susan thought I had found a hole and was caught in the wall, and it scared her. I have a large roomy home/cage in the den that has 3 places for me to curl up to sleep (I sleep a lot) plus toys to play with. I sleep during the day then Susan lets me out every night for a couple hours. I can get pretty hungry and thirsty playing, so I am always glad to get back into my home/cage. Before I go to sleep, Susan gives me a fruit treat - I don't like apple peels but I love grapes. Next Tuesday I go to the doctor for my final shots - I'll write again after that. Bye from Nashville! •

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 5 ... I am two months old and I've just come home with Susan. I fit in her palm and have tiny, delicate feet. I'll get my adult coloring, dark sable, when I'm about 4 months old. I'm happy playing on the sofa among the blankets, for now, because I'm still such a small boy. •

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