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Post by lumboo on Sept 14, 2021 11:16:34 GMT -5
Our boys escaped from the under the garden gate on Sunday by moving a heavy rock out of the way by digging under it to shift it.
We quickly found Pepe in a neighbour's driveway and got him home. Couldn't find Banjo anywhere. I was in absolute floods of tears because it was a hot day and I knew he'd get dehydrated quickly.
3hrs of door to door searching the neighbourhood, posting leaflets, my son circling the blocks and asking everyone he met, and my partner checking bushes.
As I was walking back from posting more leaflets and calling his name I suddenly heard a scrambling sound. Checked a rainwater drain and found he'd fallen in, barely able to tread water and hang on. He was on the point of drowning 😱
I have tiny arms, so managed to lie flat in the road and get my arm all the way down, but I still couldn't reach him.
With one last effort he managed to get high enough for me to grab, and then I stuck my other arm through and pulled him back up through the grate. He was shaking like a leaf so I wrapped him in a towel for 30mins and calmed him down.
The chances of my hearing him and checking the drain were so slim, I get shivers thinking about the alternative 😳
I'm so glad he responded to his name by giving the extra effort to scramble to me.
I now call him Banjo 'Lucky' Star
He's now 100% back to normal.....and the gate has been secured with a breeze block!
I just can't help thinking of the what ifs....
I didn't realise how much I'd fallen in love with them both
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Post by Corvidophile on Sept 14, 2021 11:40:28 GMT -5
Very lucky find! A bad experience for little Banjo. Ferret proofing a yard is very hard work. They can and will burrow under anything.
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vivi
Junior Member
Posts: 226 
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Post by vivi on Sept 14, 2021 13:30:06 GMT -5
It is very scary...even reading it...I can imagine what you have been through!
Take care.
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Post by unclejoe on Sept 14, 2021 16:28:13 GMT -5
OMG I'm so glad they're safe. I'm so happy for you.    I had one that dug thru a screen and escape. I searched the neighborhood for her in all my spare time for 5 days. Finally, someone saw one of my wanted posters and called. Erika had wandered a mile from home and was found when the finder's dog was barking at her from their back porch. She had lived there for 3 days before they spotted my poster. |
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Post by Charlie on Sept 14, 2021 21:29:47 GMT -5
OMG!! I'm so glad you found Banjo. That was scary for sure! I'm surprised the ferrets split up and didn't stay together. Maybe if you let them in the garden they might need more supervision. Ferrets are extremely cleaver when it comes to escaping. I'm so glad he is safe. My ferret gave me a scare too once when he was young. He almost got squished between the wall and a book case.
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Post by lumboo on Sept 15, 2021 1:01:09 GMT -5
OMG!! I'm so glad you found Banjo. That was scary for sure! I'm surprised the ferrets split up and didn't stay together. Maybe if you let them in the garden they might need more supervision. Ferrets are extremely cleaver when it comes to escaping. I'm so glad he is safe. My ferret gave me a scare too once when he was young. He almost got squished between the wall and a book case. They are always together in the garden, so that's what we thought too, that Banjo would be around where we found Pepe. So my son had focused more door to door around there. However, Banjo was in completely the opposite direction, and after 3 hrs we each focused on different blocks as he could have gone anywhere in that time. My son was banging the food bowls together, as that's what usually gets them running. Pepe was found because my partner was shaking a treat packet and calling his name, so Pepe stuck his head out from under a car. I suspect that one dug out the stone, and wandered out, and the other found the gap some time later and went out himself. Otherwise like you, I would have thought they'd be together Thats what made me cry more. The thought of Pepe without his littermate. They need company for sure In respect of the garden - the gate area is the only aspect without a concrete board dug into the ground, so the only area that is an issue. However, the breeze block is so heavy, even I can't lift it. To escape again they need to shift it 50cm away from the gate, plus dig out a stone, and then have to push out two stones on the other side of the gate whilst also squeezing through a small gap That said, we're still getting a second block for the other side of the gate!!! I'm taking no chances after being so bloody fortunate this time! |
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Post by storm on Sept 15, 2021 14:58:46 GMT -5
That's one of my worst nightmares. Sometimes family members think that I worry too much and am over cautious. However, I would much rather be over cautious than let a ferret suffer for lack of precautions.
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Post by lumboo on Sept 15, 2021 15:37:50 GMT -5
That's one of my worst nightmares. Sometimes family members think that I worry too much and am over cautious. However, I would much rather be over cautious than let a ferret suffer for lack of precautions. I would rather be over cautious and ignore any comments from others if it means protecting the little dudes. My partner got some cement today for a permanent solution to the gate issue. All gaps will be filled in, rather than relying on stones etc blocking the escape route Cats and ferrets certainly keep you on your toes!! |
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Post by okojosan on Sept 15, 2021 20:23:03 GMT -5
How awful, I'm so glad you found them! Banjo is so lucky, he must have been terrified.
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Post by Charlie on Sept 15, 2021 22:19:49 GMT -5
OMG!! I'm so glad you found Banjo. That was scary for sure! I'm surprised the ferrets split up and didn't stay together. Maybe if you let them in the garden they might need more supervision. Ferrets are extremely cleaver when it comes to escaping. I'm so glad he is safe. My ferret gave me a scare too once when he was young. He almost got squished between the wall and a book case. They are always together in the garden, so that's what we thought too, that Banjo would be around where we found Pepe. So my son had focused more door to door around there. However, Banjo was in completely the opposite direction, and after 3 hrs we each focused on different blocks as he could have gone anywhere in that time. My son was banging the food bowls together, as that's what usually gets them running. Pepe was found because my partner was shaking a treat packet and calling his name, so Pepe stuck his head out from under a car. I suspect that one dug out the stone, and wandered out, and the other found the gap some time later and went out himself. Otherwise like you, I would have thought they'd be together Thats what made me cry more. The thought of Pepe without his littermate. They need company for sure In respect of the garden - the gate area is the only aspect without a concrete board dug into the ground, so the only area that is an issue. However, the breeze block is so heavy, even I can't lift it. To escape again they need to shift it 50cm away from the gate, plus dig out a stone, and then have to push out two stones on the other side of the gate whilst also squeezing through a small gap That said, we're still getting a second block for the other side of the gate!!! I'm taking no chances after being so bloody fortunate this time! Yes, that's quite possible they escaped at different times and went in opposite directions. Or they may have escaped together and Banjo got into trouble and Pepe tried to find help. I'm so glad you heard him scratching and decided to investigate and found him. That's great that you re-enforced the gate!! Periodically go around the garden and check for holes they may have dug to try and escape. Yes, just one scare like that is enough!! |
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Post by abbeytheferret6 on Sept 17, 2021 20:47:21 GMT -5
Oh my what a story!
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