Mustelid Manor Memoirs

"Having an aura of menace is like having a pet weasel, because you rarely meet someone who has one, and when you do it makes you want to hide under the coffee table." ~Lemony Snicket~ (from The Slippery Slope)

Friday, March 03, 2017

The Latest Business News

Latest adventures at Mustelid Manor: Our normal pair of ferrets adopted around Valentine's Day actually bypassed our home this year and found a family that was ferretless and seeking. Isabella and Ferdinand were placed in their new home on February 8th and are reported to be a good fit. I was contacted about this pair and started trying to find them a home on October 4th--four months later, the original owner and their new family were finally able to connect; Izzy and Ferd became the loved family members that they were meant to be and were welcomed into their new forever home.
And as the universe would have it, a new ferret still walked into our lives; on February 27th, a new little guy also became a part of our family (because February equals ferrets LOL). Our newest addition, Buddy, is already fitting in well and is getting to know his new family--although I think Luna has a major crush on him and may be bonding already. Sumo has decided, in the albino tradition, that he is the Kingpin and the business leader--not that Buddy seems to have any interest in being top ferret, anyhow. However, Sumo would not be Sumo without such assertions.
Elliot was having some struggles with fabric eating (he also initially nursed his cagemate, Chunk's, ears to the point of being painful)--however, we are now carefully monitoring which fabric types are in his cage and he now gets special hand-feeding times which seems to be helping with his "Mommy Issues". Of course, now all of the ferrets seem to think they need this special attention--minus Poof Cat and Porch Weasel--they are a bit too cool and too rowdy for such favoritism...
Little Bear continues to act as the pouty, sullen, emo teen. His Houdini tricks earlier this week led to an increase in ferret-castle security which has, of course, led to an increase in his belief that he has it so terribly. He may be the moodiest ferret that has ever graced our home and he is by far, the most attention-seeking and jaded. Do you have an angsty teen in your home? Picture that teen with a fuzzy face and you have our Little Bear--life is so hard, terribly unfair, and *sighs* full of drama.
And in the meantime, Chunk continues to be Chunk--trying to figure out the world around him--just seeking out new warm places to sleep without being bothered by the others. He continues to enjoy biting only me (for whatever reason)--except for those times when he wants his own special hand-feeding moments. Poof Cat and Porch Weasel continue to be the crazed, little maniacs that I hope they always will be. Life with four Path Valley ferrets will be interesting, I am sure (thank goodness the other four are the slower, more intellectually challenged Marshall ferrets)...

Thursday, February 02, 2017

February Equals Ferrets!!!


Photo credit to Guillermo Hurolates.

For the past few years, each year around Valentine's Day, a pair of ferrets has made their way into my life.  This started on 02/14/14 when Shelley and Walter found me. On 02/06/15, we welcomed Severus and Luna.  On 01/31/16, Elliot and Chunk made their way to us and later on 02/12/16, Sumo entered our lives.  This February, there are a pair of ferrets that I am working on connecting with their forever home--except for once it is not here.  I have to admit that makes me a bit sad--I would take the bundle of ferrets over flowers, any day of the week.

Wednesday, March 04, 2015

Ferret Lovers Post

Sharing in response to the following in one of my ferret groups: "What are your opinions on Marshall farms? Their products? Their breeding practices?"

My two most recent Marshall Farms ferrets did not even make it to their first birthdays.  Both were diagnosed with Juvenile Lymphoma; both were Marshall Farms ferrets; they came from the same Petco; both females—one was a sable, the other a blaze.   Hundreds of dollars in vet care, within weeks, and I still ended up losing them.  Firecheeks lived five months (08.10.14 - 01.29.15); I had her ten weeks. Joey was seven months old when she died (05.05.13 - 12.11.13); I had her fifteen weeks.  

I was very bonded with Joey, and even though it has been fifteen months since she died, I am still grieving.  I have done ferret rescue for over 25 years.  Very few of my ferrets were hand-selected just because I fell in love them, there were very few that I was the first owner, but Joey was one of them.  When we buy babies, we have visions of years together, not weeks.  On Friday, December 6, 2013 Joey was just a bit off—by the following Wednesday and three emergency vet visits later, she crossed the bridge.  

X-rays and sonogram showed that her body was full of cancerous masses--lungs, liver, internal organs. She was struggling with breathing and was basically a shell. No hope with chemo, she was already too far gone, already suffering too much. She spent the last few days in her sleeping sack, poking her head out when I would come in, but not much beyond that.  I had already bought and wrapped a ton of Christmas presents for her and just loved this little girl beyond belief.  It still breaks my heart, all of the gifts I picked out and knew she would love—and she wasn’t even here for Christmas.  I didn’t see it coming—one minute she was full of life, days later, she was gone.  

Against my better judgment, and maybe because the one year anniversary of losing Joey was approaching and I wasn’t dealing with it well, I fell in love with another Petco baby and decided to try again. I bought Firecheeks 11.15.14 and knew something was wrong within her first two weeks here. The good news is that due to the issues I had with Joey, I was able to spot Firecheeks' symptoms as soon as they started to show.  My local Petco was actually pretty supportive through the first lost with Joey--this past one, they haven't said much. I think they initially believed that I had some fancy ferret scam going on. You know the one--where you buy a baby, sink hundreds of dollars into vet care within weeks and it still leaves you much too soon...  

Regardless, Petco was willing to buy Firecheeks back and deal with her vet bills, but this was her home. We made the best of her time here and while it sucked for me, for her sake, I am grateful that I was the one that bought her. Her few weeks were as bright as they could be--her bites were forgiven (I knew that she was in pain and didn't have other ways of telling me because she wasn’t a biter until those last weeks) and she still had more love than some ferrets are granted in a life time.  Those fleeting moments when she had energy and could play were beyond special. 

I didn't know with Joey. That Friday she wasn't herself; by Wednesday, Joey was gone. Had I known, she would have gotten her Christmas presents early. Things would have been done so differently. I was given a special window with Firecheeks.  While it is difficult on so many levels--I am exceedingly grateful for that time to prepare, to say goodbye and to let go.  If only we could always be granted that with our ferrets.

I know ferrets have short life spans, but honestly, this has been too much.  Friends joke that I am running a ferret hospice.  My understanding is that Juvenile Lymphoma is exceedingly rare--that losing two ferrets to it is simply against the odds. Both of them being Marshall ferrets and coming from the same Petco, within such a short period of time? Bordering on improbable.  Between these two experiences and the challenges I had with Winzig, years ago (complications due to early spaying)—I was already leery of Marshall Farms.   

And since I am unwilling to feed ANY of my ferrets Marshall's food, that cancels out their guarantee and if you read the fine print, their guarantee doesn’t cover cancer, juvenile lymphoma or anything that is likely to kill your baby within the first year.  I have owned a slew of Marshall ferrets during my life time and currently five of my six are Marshall Farms (four are rescues, one is a Path Valley); but honestly, I am thinking I may be done with Marshall Farms, at this point.  I will still do rescue, but that is it.  Pretty sure that anger is also a normal phase of grief and since Marshall Farms is the common denominator, can you really blame me?

Tuesday, January 13, 2015

Tuesday Thoughts...

There is a certain beauty in preparing and knowing. These fleeting moments when she has energy and can play are beyond special. I didn't know with Joey. That Friday she wasn't herself, by Wednesday, she was gone. Had I known, she would have gotten her Christmas presents early. Things would have been done so differently. I have been given a special window with Firecheeks.  While it is difficult on so many levels--I am exceedingly grateful for the time to prepare, to say goodbye and to let go...

Sunday, January 11, 2015

Firecheeks


Firecheeks turned five months old, yesterday.  She is responding a little better with this round of steroids and will occasionally play with me, which is new.  She is also responding well to the Reiki (when I can keep Little Bear from trying to soak in all of the flow--not sure if it is just because he is such a mama's boy or if he genuinely enjoys the Reiki).  Prognosis is still grim and the expectation is weeks.  I am basically keeping her comfortable until it is time to assist her across the bridge.   

We are still waiting for more test results to come in, hopefully this week (we have been waiting since her first visit on 12/16/14--we have had three visits, now) and while I am still in the denial phase and hopeful that they will come back with happy news; living with Firecheeks and watching what has been occurring since I got her on November 15, 2014--well, I know better than to really get my hopes up. She is also growing increasingly aggressive when I pick her up and I know it is due to her pain--so if you are noticing that my hands and arms look like I am battling Freddy Krueger nightly--fear not, it is just my weasel baby's teeth and claws.

I have been told by a well-respected and trusted ferret veterinarian that Juvenile Lymphoma is pretty rare. I am not sure how it is that I managed to have two ferret babies diagnosed and lost to it, in a year's span (I lost a very special girl, Joey, December 11, 2013 at seven months of age).  It makes it more puzzling that they were both Marshall Farms ferrets, both from the same Petco.  I choose Firecheeks from the group because she was so gentle and sweet--not so much these days, but it helps me to understand the issues that I was having with Joey, too (Joey was quite the biter and while I loved her immensely, she was very challenging). 

 

The good news is that due to the issues I had with Joey, I was able to spot Firecheeks' symptoms as soon as they started to show and have been able to prepare for the upcoming loss.  I am thinking I may be done with Marshalls, at this point, though.  Between these two experiences and the challenges I had with Winzig, years ago (complications due to early spaying)--I was already leary of Marshalls.  Pretty sure that anger is also a normal phase of grief and since Marshalls is the common denominator, can you really blame me?  

Petco was very kind through my first experience; they provided me with a gift card in the amount of Joey's purchase price.  It didn't even begin to cover what I had in vet bills and it certainly didn't make up for the grief but it was a kind gesture. I suspect that they now believe that I have some sort of elaborate ferret scam occurring.  You know the one--where you get a ferret baby, with hopes of years together--watch it get sick, spend crazy amounts of time and money to save it and then your heart breaks--yeah, that ferret scam.  Petco did offer to buy her back and cover the vet bills, but this is her home.  While financially, that would have made sense, my ferrets are the one area that I follow my heart, certainly not my wallet.  

Either way, I wanted to share a few pictures of my little girl.  Every now and then, I catch glimpses of the ferret she would have become and I guess it was her luck that brought her to my door; where her bites are forgiven, she gets mini-adventures when she feels up to it and she has many special, sleeping spots when she doesn't feel as well.  While it doesn't feel fair from my end--I have to stop and think of how her short life may have played out, in another home.  Here, she is well-loved, despite the costs and challenges.  Here, she has brothers to keep her warm; she has a human that loves her.  For now, we bide our time.

Thursday, November 13, 2014

Is Today the Day?

Is today the day I see my mom/dad again?
I know it has to be.
I couldn't hardly sleep last night,
I kept waiting patiently.

I even woke up extra early and made my ferret bed.
Every day I think of you and remember what you said:
"Don't worry as you fall asleep tonight,
this journey is not through.
One day we will be together again,
I'll come to be with you."

I can't wait to hear your voice again,
see your smile and your face,
I had a lot of fun so far here,
but it's you I can't replace.

I am standing at the rainbow bridge now,
looking out for you.
I'm dancing and dooking for all to hear,
I hope my dreams come true!

I see something in the distance,
It looks like someone new.
Wait, I can't believe my eyes,
That someone is definitely you!

I run to you and jump in your arms
because I'm no longer sick.
I love to see the surprise on your face,
as you see my brand new trick.

Finally united, we hold each other tight.
Our lives are complete now,
you'll never leave my sight.

~ Tiffany Clayton~

Thursday, December 12, 2013

Yesterday

It was not at all lost on me, that Dust in the Wind by Kansas was the first song to come on the radio, as I left the veterinary clinic with an empty carrier in one hand and a cardboard box in the other.
 
It's so hard to grasp that last week, at this time, she was fine. Last night, watching Roo go from sleeping area, to sleeping area, searching for her was absolutely heartbreaking.  Today, going through the routines, myself, but not having to watch that I didn't step on my permanent shadow--not having her attempting to engage me in chase--not having her constantly climbing up my pant legs--it just feels so quiet. So empty. The moments that she wasn't terrorizing my house, she was attached to me in one way or another. I am amazed by the memories created in such a short time. It's hard to believe I managed to get so attached in three months and it still isn't real that she left so quickly...
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