Corgi Forums

lneill84 · **ferrets -** 12-19-2006, 10:07 AM

Along with the two Corgis, I also have 5 ferrets-Luigi, Georgette, Fiona, Elsie and Michael Jackson-Tony. They all are rescues and have some pretty incredible stories about their suffering before they came to me:

Georgie and Luigi-they were taken from an animal hoarder's house, along with 3 other ferrets, and hoards of many other animals, dogs, cats, turtles, iguanas, birds, hedgehogs, sugar gliders, chinchillas, and fish. One ferret was immediately put down, he weighed around 16 ounces, and one was put down a few weeks later when the rescue group found out he had lymphoma. I took two just to foster, and the other one was immediately adopted out. The foster idea quickly turned into ownership, adn they started my boyfriend and my addiction to these little guys. Luigi was a little over 1 pound and Georgie a little under 1 pound when we got them. Luigi is now 3 1/2 pounds and Georgie 2 3/4 pounds.
Luigi:

Georgie:

lneill84 · 12-19-2006, 10:11 AM

Fiona and her sister Natasha were taken from a pet store where they were kept in a 10 gallon glass aquarium with only food and a dirty water dish. Natasha sadly passed on about a month after we got her from a brain abcess. It started as an outer ear infection at the horrible pet store, and progressed to an inner ear infection when we got her. We knew something was wrong, and were aggressively trying to find out what it was. We didn't know the infection had abcessed into her brain until the necropsy when she died.
Fiona:

Natasha:

lneill84 · 12-19-2006, 10:17 AM

Tony and Elsie were from a local shelter. My boyfriend and I, after losing Natasha, realized Fiona needed a playmate her own age. We went down for Elsie and I fell in love with Michael Jackson Tony, and brought both home. Elsie was dumped at animal control overnight in a cardboard box with a note saying they couldn't "handle" her anymore. Tony was found wandering the streets of Camden, New Jersey, by animal control and brought to the rescue. Thank God he didn't get hurt or killed, with Camden being the most dangerous city in the USA right now. My boyfriend and I fought over his name-I wanted Tony because it sounded tough, and he's certainly a tough little guy, but my boyfriend wanted Michael Jackson because he was originally a dark ferret, and as he has aged, he turned white.
Michael Jackson Tony:

Elsie:

milles2 · 12-19-2006, 10:19 AM

How sad! They look like they have found a wonderful home.

By the way, do your Cogis interact w/ the ferrets?

I walked into Petsmart one day and no sooner had we gone thru the door an ferret on a leash approached Tucker. he stopped dead. I got a strong hold on the leash not knowing how he would react. The ferret was so gregarious, Tucker sniffed him then diod a play bow. He barked at the ferret and the ferret jumped on him as if to play.

I had never seen a ferret in public on a leash!

lneill84 · 12-19-2006, 10:23 AM

Some fun pics:

lneill84 · 12-19-2006, 10:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by milles2@rpi.edu

How sad! They look like they have found a wonderful home.

By the way, do your Cogis interact w/ the ferrets?

I walked into Petsmart one day and no sooner had we gone thru the door an ferret on a leash approached Tucker. he stopped dead. I got a strong hold on the leash not knowing how he would react. The ferret was so gregarious, Tucker sniffed him then diod a play bow. He barked at the ferret and the ferret jumped on him as if to play.

I had never seen a ferret in public on a leash!

Mine all have leashes, and Tony, Georgie and Luigi are certified therapy animals. They love going for walks, and especially playing in the snow. They all love to play with the Corgis. Its always supervised, but they have a blast, especially the baby girls, Elsie and Fiona. They have no fear, and have beaten little Corgi butts before

.

Jane Austen · 12-19-2006, 01:32 PM

I think it is great that you have rescued those ferrets and take the time to socialize them with your other animals. That said it is my opinion that people don't take ferrets seriously enough. I am familiar with mink having worked on a fur farm. Mink can be very vicious and ferrets being related must have some of the same tendancy. Those owners who just think of ferrets as cute bundles of fur, are not being sensible. I love just about all animal and don't have personal experience with ferrets but feel they could be a dangerous animal if they are allowed to run free. Thank you for letting me get this off my chest. I know a lot of people get ferrets but I don't think they know the dangerous side of them.

Michael Romanos · 12-19-2006, 07:25 PM

Ferrets are a curse in New Zealand - but not as large in numbers and therefore not as destructive as weasels and stoats are. NZ is trying to eradicate all these animals plus possums, and we have quite a few areas that are now pest free. But that is not to say that ferrets are not quite a cute animal and can be managed well inside a home and with children and other pets. But when they get free - they are bad news.

lneill84 · 12-20-2006, 06:29 AM

These are domesticated ferrets that have been neutered and descented; they wouldn't make it 5 minutes outside alone. Estimates run that about 90% of all ferrets in the US are altered, making it impossible for them to run wild and form colonies. I did a study with several groups on predatory instincts in the domesticated ferret, and they sadly have absolutely no wild instinct left. The majority of ferrets for the pet trade in the United States are bred from two different farms, in mass numbers, similar to puppy mill breeding. Tony was found running loose, but based on his emaciated condition, he wasn't doing very well on his own. Polecats, on the other hand, aren't really available in the USA and retain their ancestor's wild instincts and can be a huge problem.

Chip's Mom · 12-20-2006, 07:53 PM

Jane I agree with your post. When I lived in New York, I heard of several reports where ferrets have bitten little babies and children. Haven't heard of any in TN but then you don't hear much about ferrets. Mink from what I heard are vicious little creatures.

Michael - are the animals you listed native to New Zealand? What is a stoat? We do see alot of possums in TN but they kill rats so that is a good thing. I am for anything that kills rats!

Michael Romanos · 12-20-2006, 08:49 PM

Every native animal in NZ that is not extinct, is carefully protected and looked after. Certainly stoats, weasels, ferrets, possums, pigs, rabbits, deer, cats, rats and mice are not native and do not do anything for our native animal population and our forests/bush. Pigs and deer(and other deer-like animals such as thar) are hunted as game, possums and rabbits are the worse and there are extensive extermination programmes. Incidently they have uncovered bones of a kind of alligator, 17 million years old which proves that NZ did have reptiles other than the dinosaur-type creatures, a long, long time ago.

Chip's Mom · 12-20-2006, 08:51 PM

Thanks for the info Michael. The alligator bones doesn't surprise me as originally the earth was covered in water. It is like the fossils of fish that are found high in the mountains.

Fluffypants · 12-21-2006, 09:45 AM

Your ferrets all look very healthy and well cared for. A good friend of mine has 3 of them, so I have seen the "addiciton" you describe first-hand. In the right hands, they can be wonderful, social, intelligent (and entertaining!) companions. But they are not for everyone . . . much like our beloved corgis! You have given your ferrets a wonderful, loving home, and they are lucky to have been adopted by you!