Gone Fishing…apparently

We have three water bowls in the ferret cage. Well, 2 water bowls and a bottle, technically. The bowls are there for the ferrets to play in. The bottle is there so they’ll have something to drink after they’re done playing.

This morning Minsc and Minion both were extremely hyper, despite spending the night in the bedroom playpen (bad storms means we want the ferrets close at hand in case we have to hide in closet for tornadoes and the like). They were actively rearranging everything they could in the cage, including spilling the fresh litter. I notice that, while the bottle is full, the two bowls are pretty much empty. So I get a plastic container and go to the sink. As I carry my nice full container over to top off their bowls, the double-Ms frantically redouble their cuteness efforts to try and get me to let them out for more playtime. Sorry guys, I’m already running late for work due to oversleeping, no can do. Besides, I gave you a ferretone treat already as an apology.

I open the cage door, and with one hand I fend off Minion from escape. With my elbow I fend off Minsc, while that same arm directs the pouring of water into their bowls. I fill both bowls, and withdraw, closing the cage up again.

Then I look in the container in my hand.

There’s half an inch of water left in it. And a felt fish toy with a bell inside.

I have no idea where this came from.

Well, I know we got the fish as a toy for Minsc during the weeks he was living alone, waiting for his quarantine to end so he could be integrated with the others. But it disappeared after that, lost in the quagmire of ferret bedding. But I have no idea how it teleported into the container in my hand.

I showed it to Meabh, and after some puzzled staring, put it back in the cage, slightly damp. When I left for work, Minsc had rediscovered his love of fishing, and was busy playing with his newly rediscovered fish.

While sitting in the upper litter bin.

I just hope I don’t come home to a fish toy covered in poop.

Ysabell (2007? – May 9, 2011)

As we’ve been indicating in the blog, Ysabell has been unwell for some time. After a rough weekend where we couldn’t get Ysabell to eat, pogle came home from work to find she had passed away in her sleep. Minsc was curled up on top of her, keeping her warm even as she left us.

The introduction of Minsc into her life thoroughly upset Ysabell, although I think at least part of it had to do with the onset of her illness (even though we didn’t know this at the time). Towards the end, we’d occasionally hear Minsc’s loud complaints regarding her, but it had become less of a “Mom, she’s trying to kill me!” issue and more of a “Mom, Ysabell kicked me out of the bed!” issue. And oh my, did she love to steal his warm spots, especially if he had been snuggling with Jack Jack. She was very proprietary of JJ, her lifelong friend. Being the elder (and the adrenal one), I think his surviving her has surprised all of us, possibly even him.

It’s hard, with ferrets, to know when they’re not feeling well. For Ysabell it seemed to start with Minsc, and then suddenly she wasn’t hole-punching cardboard, stashing the kong, or playing during playtime. Logic tells me that these things slowly added up, but both pogle and I cannot help but feel her loss as sudden.

She’ll be laid to rest with her favorite Kong toy, that she loved to stash so much (and was positively frantic if she couldn’t find; no worries there anymore sweetie), and with a piece of cardboard, in memory of all that she has chomped on while bringing so much joy to our lives. We’ll miss you Ys.

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Ferret Health and Well-being Update

Jack-Jack continues to thrive with his implant keeping his adrenal tumors at bay. He’s actually gotten a bit plump now, and plays quite well with Minsc.

Minsc and Minion both have implants as preventative measures, although neither showed any symptoms of adrenal issues (we just want to keep it that way).

Ysabell is unfortunately still struggling with the unknown liver disease. She went back to the vet last week, and bloodwork still showed increased levels of liver issue indicators, although they were reduced a little from the previous visit. She’s back on metronidazole, in hopes of continuing to lower said levels.. She Hates it. Capital H there. Its a very bitter medication, and she struggles and fights so much that she always ends up making matters worse. She’s started actively hiding from us, trying to avoid taking it, and I fear even if we heal her she’ll remain skittish and untrusting.