Conference asd::ferrets

Hi!

Late last December I heard from a friend that a work friend of her's daughter
had bought her boyfriend, at college, a pet ferret as a present, but he
couldn't have pets where he lived so she kept it for a month trying to
sell, and then give it away to a new home but was not able to when her 
father decided that when he picked her up from school in amherst they
would take the ferret to an animal shelter on the return trip to eastern
Massachusetts unless he could quickly find a new home for the ferret himself.
I offered this young ferret a home.

She came with the name Sable, which while unimaginative, is certainly 
descriptive!

She has also changed my life quite a bit having me now well trained to
come home after work at a reasonable hour, keep her cage clean, her food
and water filled, playing with her on demand! 

She is indeed clever. She hates it when I leave in the mornings and last
week I was about to leave and couldn't find my keys! My little weasel had
taken them out of my pocketbook that morning [nothing else!] and hidden 
them behind the sofa with her other "nesting bootie."

She has a real foot fetish. I take my shoes off and zoom! She is right 
there sniffing and checking out the feet and the shoes... She also likes
plastic soda bottles; she's go full speed across the floor with a 2 liter
bottle neck snagged in her mouth! It's quite a sight as she is considerably
smaller than the bottle.

As one would expect, Sable is very curious. When I'm in the shower she
will stand up on her hind legs and stretch to try and see what's happening
behind the curtain. She hates baths, so far [not so bad last time], but she
gave me that "let me in!" look when I peeked out one morning. I reached down 
and she grabbed onto my wrist when I lifted her into the tub. She was sooo
excited and happy, jumping around and just having fun. Then, suddenly she 
froze and the reality of the situation hit her: she was getting all wet!
Sable was out like a shot and rolling in the foot towel on the floor. I 
don't think I've laughed so hard in years!

Sable does very well around people. A friend invited Sable and myself to
her shop in Marlboro and Sable was quite a hit there. She hates being on
a leash at home, but when we were at the store she did pretty well! After 
all the excitement of a new place and meeting lots of people she crawled
into the arm of my coat [that I was wearing] turned around and fell fast
asleep.

Some of my favorite times are when she sleeps in my lap or [if I'm laying 
on the sofa] on my shoulder curled onto my neck. When she waked a little,
yawn's and stretches and spreads out her little fingers she is endlessly
adorable.

I'm having a difficult time trying to decide if I should get a ferret
friend for Sable. I hate that she is lonely, but I wonder if I could handle 
two ferrets!

I'm really glad this conference is here. There is a lot of very good
information. I appreciate Mary-Michael for giving me ferret information
and pointers that led here and other places on the web. It was a great
help. Thanks to her and the folks who contributed here. Only 700+ replies
to go.

	-Stephanie

Hi again,

I hope I'm not the last of the ferret noter's here... :-)

I'd like to introduce Sable's new friend: Cain! He is a 14 week old male
and almost 5 lbs! I didn't realize, when I bought him, how much bigger he
is than 20 week old 2lb Sable... He has a very playful and gentle disposition
but his isn't a very quick thinker and I think he will be much more difficult
to litter train than Sable was, but Sable seems to be trying to help teach
him.

I wonder if he really is slow or Sable is just that much brighter... They
are almost like Pinky & The Brain when they are together... I think this
is going to be one heck of an adventure!

	-Stephanie