A Visit to the Beach with the Fuzzie?

[Deleted]

I live in Southeast Florida, about a mile from the sea/beach. Kai loves water, and I'm sure she'd enjoy digging in the sand along the shore, but I'm nervous to take her for a beach-side visit. She's comfortable in her harness, but she has escaped before. This makes me more nervous! Any suggestions or tips?

[abbeytheferret6]

I would keep on an unretractable leash, so she is within scooping-up distance at all times.

Hubbie and I were in Panama City visiting relatives and we went to the bay---it was deserted and had a nice little shoreline. So he decided to let her down(no leash)---I guess he thought, where could she go? Well she got excited being in a new place and started running down the shoreline with him trailing after her. Scary, scary, scary.

[Deleted]

Yikes! Glad you were able to scoop her up!

We do have a five foot leash, and I think that will work - I guess Kai can't go too far without me being able to scoop her up too if she escapes, but one never knows! Maybe I'll take her in the late afternoon when the sun isn't so harsh and there aren't too many people. On a weekday, not a weekend for sure. I hope I can just sit down with her and let her play in the sand. If that goes well perhaps we can visit the shoreline for a bit. I guess I'm just nervous, but then again if I never take her out and experience the beach adventure I'll never know will I? Thanks for the response.

[Deleted]

So, the beach trip hasn't happened yet, but it is on the schedule for tomorrow late afternoon!

Kai did go on a wonderful field trip Thursday night though - and for me it was a sort-of testing ground to make me feel more comfortable (or not) with taking her to the beach. A friend of ours owns a video game / bar venue just outside downtown Fort Lauderdale where there is a lot of traffic, and a host of different personalities to mingle with. Being an artist, my husband is often invited to events that involve anything from painting, to musical engineering (and just plain listening to new groups), to design implementation, to filming, and so on. Thursday filming was on the agenda. He packed up his substantial filming gear, and I prepared myself and Kai for an adventure. They have their own narrative in filming, certain things they are looking for and trying out in an open arena, and I figured it would be a great opportunity to introduce Kai to the larger world around her; I wasn't so concerned with their agenda.

I already knew that Kai takes to her harness and leash readily, but can be an escape artist. So I tightened the harness a bit - not so much to make her uncomfortable, mind you, but enough to test the limits of just how ingenious of an escape artist she could be.

Wow! She was amazing. She was calm, she was friendly, she just had such a good time I think. I mean she did knock over a pint of beer on the sidewalk, but who can blame her for that? She had a few licks and moved on. We replaced the beer. Children came up to her (with parents somewhat trembling), and she was good: she let them pet her, and snuggled against their touch. No bites at all - not even a nip all night long, or for the three hours or so we were there! She rarely strayed from her leash zone; she pulled maybe three or four times, and when I reined her in she was just fine. Of course I gave her some love when I did this.

Inside and outside both, Kai was a pleasure to be around. Strangers didn't seem to inhibit her enjoyment of being out on the town at all. In fact, it seemed to make her experience even more pleasurable. She let everyone who wanted to pet her pet her with ease, and when she may have been overwhelmed she just snuggled her little self up on/over my left shoulder and made her purpose known politely. To be frank, I was amazed! On the ride home she cuddled into my lap and went to sleep.

This outing convinced me that I could try to take her to the beach. And tomorrow this is our plan. I'm thinking between 6:30 and 7 p.m. when it's still light out, but when there won't be so many people around. The temperature will be cooler, and the environment will be right for a beach outing in South Florida in mid-April. I'm not sure if I shall let her near the shoreline this time, but I'm hoping she'll at least enjoy the open sand. Again, we shall see.

Here goes - I'll update you all tomorrow. Maybe Justin can take video, but I still don't know how to post it. (Maybe he will be willing.)

Here's To You, and any suggestions are always welcome!

[abbeytheferret6]

Protection against mosquitoes? Florida is  notorious for fleas and mosquitoes.

[Deleted]

Hmmm.. I did give Kai a small dose of Revolution to treat the fleas she came to us with. I gave the remainder of the treatment to our kitty Blu, who sometimes gets fleas especially at this time of year even though he is an indoor cat. I have to admit I never thought about mosquitoes - I never remember having an issue with mosquitoes with any of our fuzzy babies. What should I look for, and what do you suggest I do if there is an issue prevalent? No doubt the mosquitoes love Justin, and they seem to generally ignore me - different types I guess. In her time outdoors so far mosquitoes don't seem to poise a problem to Kai, but what should I look for? How do I know for sure?

[Deleted]

Okay, so...

Beach Day!!!!!

Yesterday was a no-go 'cause rain, thunder, and lightning set in just as dusk began to dawn.
Keeping safety before adventure we stayed in - much to our dismay.

Today was a new day, and the beach experience dawned in bright arrays of new adventure, and so very much fun in the sand and sea spray! The wind was a bit strong tonight, and carried with it a bit of a chill factor for us South Floridians (so I'm describing 70 degree F temps. here - don't laugh please, we natives find this temperature a bit freezy!). Kai and I were not deterred; we were longing for a beach-side adventure. And off we went to achieve our goal!

The sky was clear, the sun was just getting ready to begin to set, and we had an hour or more worth of play time to settle into when we arrived at the beach-side. Parking is easy at this time of day on on weekday in April, and for just a buck we had plenty of time to experiment.

Attired in her harness (made a bit extra-tight just in case), and her favorite fuzzy toy, my belief that I can rescue her if anything should go wrong, and a steady recognition of our love and respect for one another, we took to the sand.

Oh My Goodness! Kai was simply amazing in her inherent playground. She dug, she nestled, and she suddenly just tunneled through the soft sand. She loved it!

And don't ferrets always attract attention to themselves somehow? So, no problem. She was kind to all who approached - adults and children alike. Children are always the most curious about our little fuzzies, and parents are often unsure, but Kai is a beauty of a fuzzie in this regard - she is always happy to visit. And though she still nips me on occasion in our home, she has never nipped a stranger. I admit, I feel lucky for this good behavior. She has nipped me a time or two out in public, and I can accept this. I'm happy she takes her discomfort out on her companions rather than strangers. Of course, I do pay attention to her particular attitude, and do my best to reign her in when the time feels needing. (Just saying.)

So, the beach-front was just an amazing playground for Kai and I tonight. She loved the sand, and as we moved closer and closer to the shoreline she negated a bit. Finally I just cuddled her up and sat with her just where the water was breaking. Let's be frank here: I was wearing a skort. So she hidey-holed back between the shorts and the skirt for a time or few, but finally she addressed the water line as it tumbled gently in, and played. Played with the foam. Embraced the moment. and hen scuttled back to me! I grabbed her up with love and gave her lots of kisses - I was so very happy with her willingness to explore, and her overall enjoyment of the experience!

We walked up the beach, picked up (my) shoes, made our way to the car, and drove home. Being a bit wet (and a bit cold) she snuggled in my lap on the way home. Made her a warm plain water bath, rinsed her of sand and sea, and fed her dinner - which she almost devoured, all said - a super-fun adventure that we shall partake of again!

So, no pics this time. Justin was working. I hope to provide some photos and/or video soon.

So, That's Our Adventure To The Beach - Best!

[Deleted]

My Monty LOVES the sandy beaches. We let him off because, hey, he can't get too far. He loves climbing the dunes but then gets stuck and crawls toward us with a 'help me mum & dad, I'm stuck' look. He digs and bounds through the grass and even tried to be adventurous by running out onto the open damp sand. Unfortunately, he doesn't like getting his ikle paws wet so no surf chasing but fun nonetheless.

[Deleted]

That is so wonderful! I wish I could let Kai loose to play, but no way - at least not on the public beaches in South Florida. Here's to Monty, and fun sand play.

[Deleted]

there's two of us- one walks in front and one behind the fuzzy so any sudden deviations means he'll be caught... with a defeated huff from him

[Deleted]

Our vehicle is still full of sand from the last beach experience, but we will probably go again before I clean her out. We've just been busy helping our newest rescue adjust; but by the end of the week I'm sure at least Kai and I shall return to the sand and surf - and then Sunday or Monday (my weekend) maybe a bath for Ruby Red (our vehicle), and then it will all begin again I'm sure!

Here's TO Fun with our Fuzzies!

[Deleted]

Three months past:

Zoe has settled in nicely, but I still am unable to take her out on the town. She no longer bites, and only ever nips quite softly on rare occasions, but she is still a master escape artist in her harness - 10 minutes in she's manuevered a suave way out! I can hold her with her harness now, and she'll calm down a bit, sure - but she always finds a moment to back out, and release.

So... Kai has been out on the town, frolicking at the beach, visiting with friends, and so forth a number of times, and I wanted Zoe to have a different outlet for fun too without the worry of losing her, and setting her at risk.

My Solution: I created a beach escape in their playpen! It's high summer in south Florida - hot, humid, and sunny - so they can only play outside early mornings and late in the evening, but they love it.

Purchased a 42" hard plastic kid pool for $8, placed in the bottom of their enclosed playpen (nearly perfect fit), filled it with play sand (5 bags - $20), got a pool (human foot bath thingy before you step in pool - $6), and placed some shells, rocks, live fauna, etc., and a tunnel in their new play place, and...and...and... They just love it!

They dig, tunnel, splash, and just plain frolic around for an hour or so a day when it's cool enough outside for them to play. Hip Hip Hooray!!!!!

Now Zoe can get out of the house too without me having to worry about her escaping, and Kai can play at the beach she loves to play at so much without overheating (granted it's a much smaller scale outing!)

I'm happy, and I believe they are too! (Please just share a smile with me.)

Here's To You and Yours - Best!

[unclejoe]

that sounds like a lot of fun!

[abbeytheferret6]

Sounds really nice. Send a pic if you have one:)

[Deleted]

Thanks! I have pics - I just have problems uploading them - I'm working on it! It's inly 7:27 am, and the sun is looming in hard - going to get the girls and give them some breakfast - Thanks Again!