Origin of The Big Raisin-
My first encounter with a ferret was many years ago when my daughter and husband adopted one. When I went to visit I was horrified to see this little 'rodent' running around the house. UGH!!! fast forward 15 years 2003. We all live in a huge 2 family home here in New Hampshire, a few dogs and children were added and all of a sudden, one of those rodents appeared!!! UGH. Every night at the dinner table I would watch the little fella watching me, this went on for several weeks until one day I offered 'it' a raisin, well I had an instant friend!! Everytime I walked into my daughter's kitchen, Stinky"it" would come to the front of his huge cage and look me square in the eyes as if to say, "well where is my raisin?" So a tradition was born. Stinky started to come out to play after dinner and I enjoyed the time with him. He was a gentle playful soul, inquisitive by nature and soft as mink. Soon after a second ferret joined him in his house, her name was Slinky. She was much faster and even more inquisitive. Ferret play time became a joy for my daughter and I and the ferrets seemed like such a great pet. No walking in the rain, no barking at the wind, sounds good doesn't it?
OK so here it is late winter 2004. I did a great deal of research into the lil creatures and decided I wanted to adopt one or 2 and have my own crew. The local {1 hr drive} humane society had 2 ferrets for adoption when I called them, but after athe long drive there I was told I had been misinformed :( I was redirected to a local pet store a few blocks away and there they were!!! an entire glass enclosed cage of baby ferrets 'kits'. I was in love. How do I decide which ones to adopt? What about all the needs, food, cage, bedding, toys? I had read one ferret book and with my daughter at my side to help make decisions I adopted 2 boys, winky and blinky. They were 2 months old and still eating 'mush'. A daily concoction of ferret food, warm water and vitamin drops. They were so tiny and vunerable.
The first month was stressful for all of us, I did some recommended reading 'ferrets for dummies' and in turn I highly recommend it to for anyone considering ferret adtoption. I spent a fortune on bedding, vitamins, toys, cages etc. then one day I realized the one feeding dish that was working best for me was a locking crock dish that attached to the cage bars, the only place I knew that carried it was that same pet store an hour away, remember the one just down the road from the humane society? So I hopped in my car for the drive and something strange happened. I started hearing this voice in my head 'go to the shelter, go to the shelter'. OK I went to the shelter. What was waiting for me was nothing short of heaven. A one year old female ferret by the name of "LEO"? huh? I had some alone time with her and discovered she was very mild mannered, playful and soft as mink, of course. She had been surrendered by her human family for reasons unknown but it was clear to me that she had been loved and trained, she was so sad looking it broke my heart. A short time later, Pinky AKA "LEO" came home with me and then there were 3, Winky, the alpha male, Blinky with his cute raccoon face and my adorable Pinky.
Ferrets like every other domestic animal love to snack, snack of choice? well raisins are a biggy, for most ferrets anyway but thats another story. Winky will eat anything out of my fingers, he loves his snacks, Blinky wont eat anything out of my fingers but will lick a little fruit sauce or chicken ala beechnut. Pinky loves her raisins but not from my hand. I have to allow her to put her head in the raisin container and take her own, thats ok I guess, but the kits eat from my fingers. Ferrets are not known for having keen eye sight and occasionally if the raisin is in my palm or on my finger I get a good nip. whoops, missed the raisin!!! The fingers and the raisins all smell the same and that is how "The Big Raisin" came to be.
Next week all 5 ferrets, stinky, slinky, winky, blinky and pinky will be tested for ADV. We are hoping all are free of the disease. If so our homes will be open for more ferrets after they test free of ADV. |
