Heather, Sherry and everyone else..

[Deleted]

2 is easy, even 3 is easy. I have 3 right now, and hope to get the 4th this breeding season or next.

What gets hard is when you have more then one play group to deal with! So thats more time to try to work in each groups play, more time cleaning 2+ different cages, thats when it gets tough! When I had Dakota, Dancer, And Tipsy, it was a bit more rough working play times bc Tipsy was a single ferret who had to get separate play time.

Its hard for shelters, btwn the seperate cages and play times, and especially when you have multiple sick ferrets its tough! At one point our local shelter was up to 67, WOW that was insane amount of work!! Even when I volunteered to help out, with 3 of cleaning cages it still took forever! Now the shelter has like 35, thank goodness 67 was way too much. Shelter is at its limit, just cant do it with no one else volunteering and no donations coming in, just kills the shelter mom to turn away ferrets.

[Heather]

I find its the separate play times that gets me. Pooka and Yuri both require separation from the rest of the business. So that means that I actually have to run 4 separate play times for everyone. That's when it gets frustrating.
ciao

[Sherry]

I don't have a shelter, but I do know what you mean by separate playgroups. I've got 3.

[sherik]

I wouldn't trade it for the world. I love hearing 7 fuzzies footsteps running around sounding like elephants upstairs. The trouble they cause is fun.

[Heather]

I won't deny that ;D ;D I miss the larger playgroups. They used to have so much fun together and get into so much trouble. Yes, they did sound like I had a house full of elephants Right now, the two larger playgroups are down to 3 (Lady B, Odin and Thor) and 5 (Fun-Go, Captain Jack, Sprite, Natasha and Boris) Natasha and Boris are the youngest at 3 or 4 and everyone else is much older....and it shows They don't play near as long or as hard. Don't get me wrong they're still active and they play hard but just not as long or as often
ciao

[Deleted]

Congrats on the math, hopefully we see pictures soon. lol

I love having 3 fuzzies. I don't find it any more work then the 2 I started out with. But then again Nyx was well littler trained when I got her, she arrived just after I finally finished litter training Hades. I had already started cleaned the box 2 to 3 times a a day to keep Hades happier.

I would love to get more ferrets for sure. lol

[taratee]

ferret math is dangerous i have four and i am seriously considering a fifth and i find it goes like this:

at the beginning its wonderful youre still coming down off that new ferret high youre thinking this isnt so hard

then all of a sudden its like WOAH HOW DID YOU GET ON TOP OF THE BOOKCASE, DONT OPEN THE CLOSET, DONT EAT THAT PILL PACK, NOOOOOOO NOT THERE

then after that you feel a bit better and youre feeling good things are working well everyones on their schedule the kids are using the boxes! and no ones climbed that bookcase in like two weeks (this is the most dangerous time)

at this time the local pet store usually get a new crop of kits in and i feel like what another ferret my ferrets are starting to get it together right?


atleast thats how things happen in my house

[Deleted]

Taratee! You got it down exactly! LOL!

[acodlin]

I don't know about anyone else but its therapeutic for me. I come home and I'm stressed from school or work and as soon as I'm through the door I start my routine. I clean the cat boxes, let the dogs out, clean the ferret room and give them fresh food/water, take the dogs for a walk, feed the dogs/cats, then I let the ferrets out and play with them for an hour or so and then let them do their own thing. I love on everyone everyday, and with 4 cats 3 dogs 16 ferrets.. it takes while but I love it. I always wanted to be a vet and run my own shelter. I decided that being a vet wasnt for me because I couldnt stand to put someones pet to sleep because they couldnt afford treatment, I'd be one broke vet because I'd want to save them all. Several of my ferrets are rescues, all of my cats and dogs are rescues. I'm definently at my limit but I love all of my furry kids and I don't regret a moment with them.. even when they are trying to tear the place apart

[Deleted]

Acodlin, your house sounds like mine!!! With soon to be 12 ferrets, 3 dogs, 4 cats and 1 guinea (Callie the Guinea went to the Bridge about 2 weeks ago) while tending to all of the necessary stuff does take awhile, the end result, happy well adjusted healty furbabies is well worth it! I too wanted to go the vet route but like you the putting to sleep part bothers me, I'd probably be taking everyone home!!! I too love the sound of the little hellions tearing up the house getting into everything and levitating onto counter tops... I've been very lucky, everyone here gets along so it's one huge playgroup here!

[weezz]

Well, I have 18 ferrets (and 6 cats) right now. My husband and I mostly hospice and pick up the older ferrets that no one wants.

You do get used to it after a while, believe it or not. It gets rough some days when the older ones are having off days and need extra attention, and we have many that are adrenal, or that have the "big 3" and are mostly hospice/keeping comfy for their last days.

I do several play groups a day, and lots of cage cleaning and ferret laundry, soupies and oopsies, meds and snuggles.

So, that is why I haven't been posting much or even have had time to put up an introduction to my rowdy crew.

[katt]

I felt the same way when I first brought Kenai home. His potty habits were Terrible and on the way home he chewed holes in my favorite scarf that I put in the kennel with him for extra warmth. I was afraid I had another chewer on my hands! But don't worry, very soon you will be settling into a rhythm as you get used to them and they get used to you. 2 ferrets is a very different dynamic, and it is definitely a major adjustment, but it won't be long before it feels totally normal and you will wonder why you don't have 3...or 4... Keep in mind as well that they are both kits! They are FULL of energy - the destructive kind! ;D ;D ;D ;D In time they will begin to slow down and mellow out, and they should start to learn the rules rather quickly. Not that they will not continue to break them though. lol