Ferret Family Services
by Troy Lynn Eckart
Ferret Family Services: Domestic Ferret Information and Education Public Service and Welfare Organization In July 1985 I was to be married. How exciting right? But even more exciting was that in August I was to receive the most wonderful wedding present - my first 6 week old ferret. So in preparation I went to the library and checked out the only book they had on ferrets (Ferret Facts and Fancies, A.R. Harding) and bought the only book to be found in the pet store at the time (sorry, can't remember what the name was). I called our local vets to ask for information but there was none to be had. So armed with the only books available I read and re-read and re-read every word till I could quote any section of the books.
Soon the wonderful day arrived. Pearl handed me the tiniest most adorable kit I'd ever seen (well, o.k. so it was only the second kit I'd ever seen, the other being his sister)! So tiny and warm and fuzzy and trusting and... NIPPY! The little one was aptly named... NIPPER. At 6 weeks he was so tiny and so very feisty. Nipper's first cage, for just a few days as his cage was being built by my husband with the help of my brother, was an open 29 gallon aquarium equipped with blankies, litter box, food and water dishes and toys. I had the perfect cage in mind, 3 levels with a plexi-glass front and hardware cloth wire on sides, back, and top for ventilation. The levels were made of plywood covered with contact paper for ease of cleaning and the ramps had old towels tacked to them so Nipper could get up them easily and side rails so he wouldn't fall off.
Our first night together was sleepless as each time Nipper would cry out I would run to him and cuddle him till he fell fast asleep. I'd then put him back in his blankies and head off to our bedroom when halfway down the hall he'd cry out again. I spent the majority of the night soothing and cuddling that adorable little furball. The next day at my request we built a nest box to keep on our bed so we'd all get some sleep. That night a few more hours of sleep were gained as each time Nipper cried out I only had to place my hand in the box and he'd play and gently chew my fingers till he fell asleep.
Nipper went everywhere with us. He would ride in our pockets when we went into the stores and he went to all our family gatherings. Nipper was the light of my life. I soon discovered that Nipper needed a friend, someone of his own kind to sleep, cuddle and play with. That is when Dee Dee, an older female joined our family. Four months later Nipper and Dee Dee had their own family, making me a grandmother of 7! Oh how blissful! A houseful of adorable furry little critters. Dee Dee was the best mother and Nipper the best father. He did have one draw back though. He loved the babies so much he'd carry them one by one down to the bottom level and care as best he could for them, cleaning and cuddling them - while Dee Dee was upstairs caring for the others. Nipper only had one problem - he couldn't feed them! So after several days of putting them back upstairs with mom, Nipper was banished from the cage and allowed only visiting privileges. He would lay forlorn at the cage door for hours at a time.
Soon the babies were big enough that all could be one big family again, and oh how happy they were! Nipper couldn't keep up with the little ones, they were so feisty and playful. He was so very patient with them as they chewed on his ears, nose, and paws. At 9 weeks old, the babies were all adopted out to what I hoped to be the best homes. This was a very difficult time for me as I so wanted to keep them all. But my husband did not.
Shortly after, tragedy struck. A friend's little boy was playing with Nipper. A favorite game was for the oldest boy (4) to run up and down the hallway chasing and being chased by Nipper. When the little boy would stop running, Nipper would put his tiny front feet on the little boys shoes and look up at him. This would send them off again. To this day I can still see their innocent little faces full of love, joy, and happiness.
This particular evening I had the hallway closed off because the doggie door was open for the dogs. Unbeknownst to me, the little boy lifted Nipper up over the barrier and put him on the other side. Nipper escaped to the great outdoors. It was 3 hours later when I was looking for the ferrets to put them in their cage for the night and couldn't find Nipper that I called my friend to find out if she had inadvertently taken a hitchhiker home in her purse. No, she said, her little boy had lifted him over the barrier....
For weeks I searched the neighborhood. No Nipper. I placed notices on telephone polls and in newspapers and on the radio. Still no Nipper. Then about a month later I received a call that a ferret had been found. My husband and I went to see if it was Nipper. It didn't look like Nipper, it was much bigger so my husband said it couldn't be Nipper. I begged and pleaded to take the ferret home, to no avail. At that time I was not as strong willed as I am now. So I conceded and dropped the subject. To this day I could kick myself for doing so. But my eyes were opened. There was a need for a ferret organization in our area. A place for unwanted or found ferrets to go where they would receive love and proper care and for other ferret owners to be able to find information they needed. My husband was not in favor with the idea. So again I conceded and dropped the subject. Then several months later we divorced. And I started calling adds on found ferrets letting others know I would take them if the owner wasn't found. From that point on we bloomed. Calls started coming in not only for found or lost ferrets but also for more information on ferrets. This was mid 1987.
I thirsted for knowledge about our furry little friends. I read and called on any lead for information I could find. My thirst could not be quenched, the more I learned the more I wanted to learn. In 1990 I came up with the perfect name, Ferret Family Services. Our first newsletter, with only 30 subscribers, was sent out.
Everything moved quickly from that point on. Then in December 1993 tragedy again struck our area. An article in the local newspaper reported a pet ferret (Longtail McDowell) had nipped a KPL worker and the state wanted the ferret killed, decapitated and tested for rabies. This was news to me. Just years before when I had contacted the State Animal Health Dept I was informed that ferrets were considered domestic in Kansas. Now all of a sudden they were wild? My curiosity was peaked. I made some calls and found out that in 1992 the state wildlife definition was changed and that change threw ferrets into the exotic wildlife category. But there was more. This same change should have placed dogs and cats in the same category with ferrets - not native to Kansas, but dogs and cats were still classified as domestic. So started more research and my involvement in the rabies issue. I spent over 3000 hours (I quit counting at that point) researching the rabies issue. In 1994 I became LIFE's (League of Independent Ferret Enthusiasts) National Rabies Information Coordinator.
During the Longtail case, I contacted several ferret agencies listed on the Star database. All were ready and willing to help. Information was faxed and mailed by the truckloads (o.k. maybe a little exaggeration there). Then it happened. Longtail and his brother George were ferretnapped. This act saved their lives as the judge instructed the McDowells to turn the ferret over to vet med to be killed and tested.
Two years later the McDowells received a package with no return address in the mail. It contained a video tape of Longtail and George playing with 2 children. All it said was that their ferrets were safe and well. No signature.
The Longtail case is only one of many injustices done to ferrets. And so my quest for justice for this enticing little creature continues.
In 1996, we were hit with ECE (green slime). At that point we quit taking in adoptable ferrets and instead placed them directly from one home to the next. This works quite well as the ferrets are not exposed to shelter life.
Today I share my home with ferrets that need me the most, the sick, the old, and the behavior challenged. It's amazing what a little tlc and proper vet care will do.
Through the years, we've experienced many medical conditions from the typical ones to the not so typical. Each ailment provides the opportunity to learn so that I can share what I've learned with others. I've been called to help a ferret dying of starvation because the person forgot to feed her. Sadly, she was too far gone, though we did everything we could to help her. In another case the ferret was too old and weak to get into where the food was kept. She too was only with us a few hours.
I and friends have bought ferrets from Exotic Animal Auctions here in Kansas to save them from a horrible fate, being bought by people who have no idea what ferrets need nor did they even care. My heart broke as I saw one ferret being loaded into the open trunk of a car after I'd spent 30 minutes talking to the person. I was riding with someone else and they wouldn't turn the car around so I could talk to the person again. I had spent the entire time holding the ferrets cage on my lap till he was bid on. I couldn't bring him home at that time as it was right after we got hit with ECE. His name was Buddy and it still haunts me that I didn't buy him anyway.
I bought a group of 4 for $200 that had been kept in their Midwest cage for a year. One was a little blind and partially deaf albino boy, that was so thin I didn't know if he'd live. But he did and he's still with me, still blind of course, but him and his companions are very happy with me.
I took an 8 yr old female that had lymphosarcoma and her neck glands were so swollen it looked like she had giant hotdogs around her neck. She was starving to death as she couldn't get to her food because of the swelling. I didn't know if she'd live through the night, but she did and with proper medical treatment and special feedings her glands went down to normal size and she lived happily for 6 weeks with me before she succumbed.
I try to find the silver lining to each experience. Sometimes when it seems so bleak, it takes longer to find, but I've always found one, even if it is only being able to provide comfort and love to a dying little one.
Ferrets are the most wonderful creatures and they have taught me so very much. This is what I think about when I'm too tired, emotionally drained, or financially strapped to go on and it helps me to find the strength to continue.
My Ferret Philosophy
I believe with ferrets you can have the Òdon't be a ferretÓ or Òbe a ferret and enjoy lifeÓ attitude. If you want nice things all the time and well behaved critters, then you definitely don't need ferrets, or any type of animal for that matter. Ferrets have such a genuine joy to be alive and in life that they can occasionally be wearing on even the most easy going person. If we watch what they are ÒdoingÓ instead of ÒwhatÓ they are doing then we can see the humor and gaiety in almost any situation.
How many times have you fussed at your ferret for knocking over a glass of something you were drinking? Now be honest. And how happy is your ferret when they've accomplished this task? First of all your ferret did not intentionally spill the contents. What they tried to do was see what was inside and were probably very surprised that they tipped it - you've seen them jump back when this happens. You KNOW your ferret likes to share with you and the only way they can tell what is in there is to tip it over, so, who needs to do what here. YOU need to keep your glass up out of ferret reach if you don't want it spilled or use spill proof containers. And for that occasional accident, well, I just giggle because I know whose fault it really is and griping at my ferret won't change that or get it cleaned up. That old rug needed cleaning or the floor really did need to be mopped anyway. And I have lots of help in the clean up process too!
And now my favorite recipe -
1 or more humans
1 or more ferrets
1 heaping helping of love
Sprinkle with hugs and kisses Mix well and enjoy!
Love them with all your heart, care for them the right way. They won't be here forever. Troy Lynn Eckart
Ferret Family Services
http://www-personal.ksu.edu/~sprite/ffs.html
http://www.geocities.com/Petsburgh/Haven/5481/
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