I named her "Buttercup", as in the Princess Buttercup from the book and movie "The Princess Bride". I've said if we get another (male) ferret I want to name him "Farm Boy" - my husband doesn't like that name much, but, thinks "The Dread Pirate Roberts" would be a spiffy name. I don't think I can fit that on a name tag!
She wasn't nearly as scruffy-looking as her pictures present her being. They were bad pictures, taken with a cheap disposable camera. The pictures of Harlie, below in her section, were taken with a digital camera.
We were working on better pictures of Buttercup, but, on August 4th, 2001, she passed away. I was never given a good diagnosis of her condition. I found her on the kitchen floor having seizures and the local emergency animal clinic left me waiting while other, less severe animals were treated ahead of me (something I was understandably distraught over). She passed away in my lap. I take comfort in knowing she's on the other side of the Rainbow Bridge, waiting for me. She was my first ferret, and she'll always be special to me.
Since she didn't come with any vaccination certificates, I *did* take her to my local veterinarian clinic, whose doctors are supposed to be pretty good with most animals more "exotic" than cats and dogs. When we kept lizards, they knew what to do with them, and they've treated animals as interesting as tigers! *Plus* they have several local ferret patients. In any case, I had her shots repeated "just in case". Rabies and canine distemper vaccinations are vitally important for the fuzzies! I also started her on oral flea management with this visit.
Within five or so days of having her, I realized Buttercup is deaf! That was a bit of a disappointment, because I had been looking forward to training her to "come" when I squeaked a squeaky-toy. I find her deafness more of a challenge than a problem now that I'm used to it. Imagine trying to get the attention of someone who has their very own specific agenda (that revolves around squeezing behind all your furniture) when they can't hear any noises you make! I'm trying to train her to "come" when I thump the floor or crook my finger a certain way. One positive thing - I can run the vacuum next to her cage and she isn't bothered by it!
In the time we had her, she settled in to be a beloved member of the family. I liked to joke that she's the daughter I never had, and my son called her his sister (although, he understands it's just a joke, also). The "Princess" part of her name didn't really stick. She ended up being called "The Buttery Cup". No one really knew why.
Ferrets have a reputation for being collectors, as shown by the phrase "ferreting something away". Buttercup seemed to have fairly strict standards on what she'd steal, mostly involving long thin items like pens and straws (too dangerous to let her keep), and roundly squat things like small pots of cosmetics. She had expensive tastes - when given a choice between a $2.00 eyeshadow and a $15.00 eyeshadow, she always picked the more expensive one! She particularly loved the small metal tins that Urban Decay cosmetics are packaged in (and has sucessfully hidden one of my favorite UD eyeshadows from me, to my distress)! At least she knew quality when she smelled it :).She was also infamous for being able to get into areas no ferrets "should" be able to get into. She worked out how to get onto the kitchen counter through the silverware drawer, was able to get to upper shelves on our wall units, and once turned a light switch off. She also successfully unzipped a visiting friend's luggage bag by pulling on the leather tab connected to the zipper. We called her the "Albert Einstein of Ferrets".
Harlie was very active and wild compared to Buttercup. We called her "The Harlie Bean", because she jumped around like a Mexican jumping bean. She was actually something of a ratty, scruffy-looking bit of nothing when I picked her out, but, she matured into a BEAUTIFUL sable ferret, with very silky fur. Her markings shifted through the seasons, and a good part of her mask 'disappeared', but, what was left sure was pretty.
Misfortune struck Harlie, also. In October of 2000, she escaped from the house in the late evening (after dark). My husband tried to recover her, but, she'd gotten away too thoroughly. Ferrets who escape into the wild cannot survive, they don't possess the same level of instincts that allow cats and dogs to go "feral". We had to presume her dead when we were unable to recover her.
Being a ferret mommy was much more work than I expected. Both my daughters were insatiably curious and would regularly go "on patrol" around the house. This involved investigating every nook and cranny that isn't open air, in a spiral pattern from the walls towards the center. It included everything from under/behind furniture and major appliances, to checking UNDER throw rugs and inside small boxes and piles of papers. Cabinets were one of their favorite spots to investigate, as well as behind bookcases. Both Harlie and Buttercup patroled the house each time they wake up, to make sure there were no mice, rats, or rabbits hiding in the shadows. This is what ferrets were dosmeticated for, and thousands of years of instinct hasn't been erased just because I decide to feed them ferret chow instead of making them work for their supper. If I left my sneakers or boots out, they would even peek inside each one to make sure no evil squeakies were hiding in the toes!
I made the try for one more Ferret. I'll post details about Prince Humperdink another time.
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Updated: Thursday, April 11, 2001 6:12:22 PM