[Ebony, Ivory, and Mimzy]
I... have a Snake. He was fun. I got him for a psychological dependency gig for while I was depressed. He's a male, and he's 2 years old. I wanted a baby snake, I mean, why not... I can add snake breeder to my list of stuff I'm trying to learn how to do. I'd need to get a new tank and light and female....
So I wander over to the pet store. Its late friday night, and its an hour before closing. I needed to find out if they even had a female ball python. I walked in, and was hit by the smell of the pet store (I LOVE pet stores.) And I walked my normal walk over to the reptile section. And I passed this cage with a sign on top that said: "Adopt me, everything included, $75 dollars." I paused. It was a large cage. Sitting in the top, were 2 ferrets. Sleeping. Curled up next to each other. One of the checkout ladies came up and, using the selling logic, stated... aren't they cute?I had to admit, they were amazingly cute. They're brothers, from the same litter, and they're about 8 months old. They're potty trained. Came with the cage, and everything else that was in there, the hammock, the shelves... and the 2 ferrets for $75 dollars. I was in the midst of a text conversation with Chris, and cutting him off, texted: "hi, I'm getting 2 ferrets.. bye!"
I went to ask my questions about the snake, knowing full well my mind was already made up. They didn't know if they had a female snake, Snake was $80, the tank another $120, and this was excluding lights, bedding, food, hideouts.. etc.
My biggest problem was getting them home. I wasn't going to call my parents, I could just IMAGINE what that conversation would sound like...
"Hi, Dad, I... I bought 2 ferrets. I nee.."
"You DID WHAT?! WHAT MADE YOU THINK YOU COULD DO THAT?!"
"I have the money for it... And I..."
"You work full time, you can't take care of them..."
"Psh, they sleep 18 hours a day, how can I NOT take care of them"
"I totally disapprove of this, can you back out still? "
Honestly, I saw all the problems with getting ferrets, I was never home, my room was a mess, etc.. there was no logic... but, I mean.. I really wanted them, and I was here to get a new pet.... Who else could I call?
"Hi, Stephanie? How are you?"
"I'm good... what's up.."
"Do you have access to your van?"
"...Yes... why?"
"I bought 2 ferrets... " *Wince *
"....*Silence* .... You bought 2 ferrets." (it wasn't a question.. it was a statement. )
"Yes, and I can totally take care of them.. I was coming for a snake, and that was much more expensive.."
"... *Silence*.... you bought 2 ferrets?" (It was a question this time)
"Yes.. and they sleep all day.. I just can't fit them in my car the cage is tall."
"... *Silence*.. you really bought 2 ferrets?" (she was finally accepting this)
"Yes."
"And you need my help to get them home?"
"Yes"
"Where are you?"
"Petco."
"I'll be right there."
Alex and Steph show up 15 minutes later, after I'm done shopping for food, and bedding, and a carrying case..
Alex: Laura, .... you bought 2 ferrets? I'm going to try and talk you out of this you know.
I explained that there really was no logical reason for this. Other than "they were cheaper than the snake" But then as I thought about it, I realized that these ferrets would be able to be able to tell me if they liked it when I scratched them under the neck.. or would snuggle up to me, or would even play with me. Much more fun than a snake.
So we took the cage and put it in the van and drove it home, and put harnesses on the ferrets when they got home so I could clean my room really fast and make room for the ferrets. Steph and Alex played with them, and I could hear laughing coming from the kitchen.
So... where did Mimzy come from? I had a friend who bought a ferret, and found out that he couldn't take care of him anymore. And asked if I could take her from him. I said yes, and found out, the day I was driving to Salt Lake to get it, that the ferret was actually in Ogden, with his aunt. I went to get her, and entered an apartment full of smoke, and dog and cat, and baby, and it stunk to high heaven. Mimzy was a 6 month old female, who I'm terming that I 'rescued'.
So now I have 3 ferrets.
Originally, they were nicknamed 'Danny and Chris' for obvious reasons. And then they were named 'Flip and flop' I sent a video letter to Chris:
They pretty much hang out in the cage all day while I'm gone, and I let them out to run around in my room when I'm home. And they all sleep together....
He's also figured out, that if he shakes the door of the cage, I'll usually come do something about it, and he'll get attention. When he's bored at 3 am.. he thinks its funny. Ebony likes to explore. While the other 2 are playing with toys and with each other, he's off trying to climb things, or sniff things, but again, he'll let me pick him up and cuddle with me.
And Mimzy, I don't have any pictures of her... yet... But I do have a video that includes her... Ferrets laugh. She was the first one I found out laughed. In those one though, Ivory's the one laughing. The technical term for this is 'dooking.' At the very end, Mimzy is the one dooking, because Ivory is chasing her.
Mimzy was a bit of a hassle. She was not potty trained, and she was hyper. She loved to play, and always wanted out of her cage. She figured out that she could knock her waterbottle off and I would come fix it, and then she would bat my hand and try and get me to play with her. When you get her and ebony together, they do the most mischief. At 5 am one morning, Ebony didn't want to sleep, so I threw him into Mimzy's cage (they all live together now, but at the time.. it was better to keep them separate) So that he had something new to explore, and awoke 15 minutes later to both of them shaking the door cage. Then, mimzy knocked her water bottle off and they both sat and looked at me like, "wellll? are you going to come fix this."
My simple solution for shutting them up in the morning, is to cover the cage with a blanket, then they think its the middle of the night and fall back asleep. They know I'm not coming if the blanket is on.
There were lots of things about ferrets I didn't know. One specifically was how playful they were, and how much fun it was to watch them attack each other. Ivory will be minding his own business, and out of nowhere, Mimzy will jump on him. I took the ferrets to my parents house and let them loose in the guest bedroom, and we had an hour of laughter as they ran around and jumped on each other.
Now, one of the things that everyone asked me was "they smell.. how do you handle the smell." Its actually very easy.... They 1. Have been deodorized. 2. I use bio-odor stuff that removes the smell from their waste, and 3. I change the litter everyday. Its the first thing I do when I get home, (I don't want my roommate sic'ing her fiance on me for having a smelly apartment. ) Once a week, I will clean the cage and the bedding, and that's usually when my roommates go.. "Laura, we can smell the ferrets." But for the most part, people don't know they exist in the apartment.
All that's left is a general smell of Animal. Which is easily removed with a spray or 2 of febreeze.
So. These are my ferrets. My joys at the moment. Its fun to take them on walks, and let them run around. And when I get used to the ferrets in my life, (while sharing my life with a boyfriend) I may add a fourth. Nothing will change, other than the amount of food that is consumed... people have up to 13, because they're really easy to take care of... but I don't think I'll go that far. :)
P.S. Check out my 101 in 1001 and see how I'm doing!
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