# Ferret Fuzzy Love



## PandaBee (May 14, 2010)

After the recent death of my gorgeous robo dwarf hamster, Rocket, i was left feeling kind of empty. I still have max and my gerbs, but I missed having that little hamster face around.

so of course my mother would pounce on me in my time of weakness and convince me to bring home a new fuzzy love in desperate need of a good home. she's evil that way, you know?

behold, the object of my affection.










His name was Cyrano, but I couldn't stand it, so I'm calling him Petey. I've only had him a couple days and already, we are best friends, lol.


my mother, in her classic fashion, didn't even wait a half hour after i brought petey home to start in on me about a guinea pig that needs rescued, and then she starts in on how petey needs ferret friends, like right now. not that i don't plan on getting him friends, but I got him for free, because his family was moving to a state where it's illegal to own ferrets. I can't afford to actually buy a ferret right now. maybe she'll get me another ferret for christmas. ;D


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## PandaBee (May 14, 2010)

ema-leigh said:


> Ferrets cost around $200... if you can't afford to buy him a friend (which is needed) how could you afford possible vet bills? I know you did a good thing by taking him in, but you have to be realistic about what you can and can not provide for your pets. Medical care is one of the most important things and sadly one of the most costly.


i am realistic. I am an animal science major and know that i can't afford not to be, for the sake of the animals in my care. I have seen animals suffer because their owners were unrealistic about the level of care they could provide. There are reasons I cannot afford to add another ferret at this time (therefore doubling all medical costs, by the way.) One of these is the fact that Pete never received his rabies vaccine and only ever got the one distemper shot the breeder gave him as a kitten. he, of course, needs to be brought up to date on his shots, as well as given a full health evaluation. I can almost count on having to pay gas money too, because I doubt the local vet here treats ferrets.

I am WELL aware of the medical costs for a multitude of animals...dogs, horses, goats, cats, frogs, turtles, guinea pigs, birds, and yes, ferrets. I know that I can expect to pay, at least once over the course of Pete's life, about $1000 for surgery, though according to other owners i've spoken to, i can almost certainly count on two of those surgeries. and if he contracts adrenal disease, i can also expect to pay about $300 every three months for treatment. However, pete is only a year old, and if what I'm told is true, i can expect not to face these kinds of situations for years. then there are booster shots, annual health checks and the odd rush to the vet because furmommy has a panic attack over a fart (stranger things have happened in my household).

Just because I cannot afford to go out and spend $120-150 on another animal at this very moment (therefore having to buy more food, litter and medical treatment) doesn't mean i cannot provide for the one i already have. There is also the fact that I receive support from my parents whenever i need it, for whatever reason, like when my corgi took a header off a 16 step flight of stairs and ruptured the tendons in his back legs. believe me, that bill wasn't pretty.

as for whether he NEEDS a friend or not...I know many people who do, or have, kept a single ferret, and the animal does wonderful, so long as they get lots of out of cage time. In some animals, there is a certain requirement for companionship, but there are exceptions. I always advocate the adoption of two guinea pigs and never just one, but I know a woman who owned a guinea pig, Rikki, and only Rikki, for all 8 years of that guinea pig's life. And i've never seen a more plump, content guinea pig. I'm not saying that Pete will be a lone ferret for all his days, because I have ferret fever, it seems, and there wil come a day, soon, hopefully, where I will be able to spend this much money all over again for a ferret friend. Maybe in the spring, when I will be getting a job again and taking fewer classes, so that i can stop living off of my life savings.


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## ema-leigh (Jan 24, 2010)

If part of the animals basic care is that it needs companionship, then its just as important as any other aspect of its care. Just because some animals do okay by themselves, doesn't mean the would not of bloomed twice as much with another buddy of their kin or even lived another few years. I never mentioned you couldn't care for your animals, my point was ferrets are highly social highly intelligent animals that have pretty specific care needs - just like rats. Anyone who posts on here owning just one rat will have it pointed out to them that they need friends... well I feel just the same way about ferrets.

But regardless hes cute, congrats on your new little friend!


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