Pretty much my only experience with ferrets was a friend in college who had two. The only thing I knew about them was that they liked to escape places when someone left the door open. Since my friend lived in a trailer, and a lot of us smoked, there was a lot of going in and out, a lot of open doors, and a lot of ferret escapes. They seemed more of an annoyance to me than anything else.
All of that changed when Rose brought Grace home.
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| You'd have to have a heart ten sizes too small not to fall in love with this. |
What can I say about Grace? She was adorable, hilarious, and happy. She hopped around like a little spring (ferrets are often referred to as 'slinkies' or 'noodles.')
Gracie was our summer ferret. We got her in June and she was gone in August. She didn't even make it to four months. When she got sick, she fought for a week with every spark in her little body. We took her to three different vets, and none of them could figure out what was wrong with her. All they could do was keep her hydrated, give her antibiotics and run tests. Eventually, she just couldn't fight anymore.
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| Ferrets love shoes. |
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| Grace and Milo taking a nap. |
Someone I recently talked to about Grace told me, "I never thought I'd care about ferrets until my boyfriend talked me into getting one. I fell in love instantly." Which is so much like my own experience, it makes me think that this is pretty common among first-time ferret owners.
A few quick facts that I didn't know when we first got her, if you're curious. If you're not, you can just skip ahead.
Ferrets are exotic pets - which really just means they're not a dog, cat, or goldfish - but they also have some very specialized needs. Not all vets know how to deal with ferrets, and some won't take them at all. Find a good vet near you that knows ferrets.
Consider getting your ferret from a local breeder rather than a big chain. The big guys churn out ferrets by the truckload, and there are some concerns about their breeding, neutering and de-scenting practices that I won't go into here. If you're interested, the information is out there.
No ferret should be exposed to temperatures above about 80 degrees. So if you live in the South, you'll probably have to keep your ferret indoors most of the summer.
Ferrets seem to do better in pairs than on their own, although Grace seemed happy by herself.
Ferrets have been domesticated for thousands of years, which means they're a lot like dogs in that they really bond with their people.
They can eat a wide variety of foods, but they are obligate carnivores like cats. Don't try to turn your ferret into a vegan.
You have to be careful with ferrets. They get into everything. They like to chew things, and they are naturally attracted to more valuable items. Grace preferred electrical cords, the mask to my sleep breathing device, and my headphones.
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| Ferrets love headphones. |
The joy that Grace brought us in her short time was worth the sorrow. Yes, we'd love to have had her for another 10 years. But it wasn't meant to be. She taught us so much. She taught me that I could fall deeply in love with a pet after only a few weeks.
Losing a pet you've had for that time can hurt just as much as one you've had for more than a decade. I've lost pets before, but never so soon, and - with the exception of a sick kitten when I was kid who died after less than a day - never one who was just a baby.
Maybe it was the intensity of Grace's sickness that made the loss so painful. After watching her fight so hard for so long, it was hard to let her go. It might have been easier had it been quicker, and there certainly would have been less tears had she never come into our lives at all.
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| One of the last moments I got to spend with Grace. |
But I wouldn't trade the memory of her for anything. And I just hope she's bouncing around in Heaven or Valhalla or the Happy Hunting Ground or wherever it is ferrets go, squeaking and chewing up everything in sight.
Goodbye, Grace. We love you.
