Sally & Angel

So after our poor big bunny got injured and we had to give him up I got to thinking the kids did really good with him and taking care of him and his cage. They even helped out more around the house it got them up and doing something besides tv. I decided I wanted to get them another pet but not a bunny this time. I wanted something a little more friendly and playful for them. We researched it and decided that guinea pig or ferret seemed like our best bet. The thing about these two animals are they do better together so you really should get two or more. But two is probably good enough. And you can get just one but it may need more attention from you.

The more I thought about the two and compared them to each other and the rabbit the more the ferret seemed like the better pick of the bunch. The rabbit and guinea pig you have all the bedding and things in the bottom of the cage to clean up they throw it every where. They use the bathroom in it and walk around in it all the time and it is being kicked out of the cage with the bedding. Even cleaning the cage twice a day it still just seemed like a lot to keep up with. I like that the ferrets you can just put a litter box in the cage give them a couple hammocks in there for them to sleep in food water and toys. Give them a towel or something like that also. I know they will get the little all in the cage and the food but I think it is easier to take a little broom or something and sweep it up. Or pull the tray out and wash it in the hose quick outside. I think that Ferrets are friendlier and more playful as well. I talked to the kids about it and had them do some research as well as to how to take care of each how to feed them what kind of cages toys and things like that they needed for each one. They decided that ferrets would be good also.

I decided to get my son one for his birthday that;’s in a few weeks. We have gotten one of our dogs from the shelter and the other we got from a friends litter of pups to keep them from going to the shelter. I decided I would try to find one that needed a new home instead of buying a “new” one or whatever you want to call it from the pet store. Everyone I found was gone by the time I found it even if it was just listed a hour or so before. I decided to put a ad on craigslist looking for one. I told my daughter I would get her one in January for her birthday if she wanted one. Unless I just found two together then I would take them both.

I posted my ad and it was there a little while and someone finally contacted me about two girls she had that are about 15 months old. I wanted them for this past Sunday because I was going to do the boys party then. It would be a week after the little ones a week before the older ones. But then I had three sick kids. But she sent me a text about a week or week and a half before. She said that she had a baby her son was in high school and her husband worked all the time so she wanted to give them to a home that would play with them and take care of them like they needed to be. she was the only one cleaning and taking care of them and she just couldn’t do it anymore. She sent me a picture of everything 

I asked her about the cage they were in. I have everything that is needed to get one cage bedding toys everything because I found one someone had for sale that they only used a month. I grabbed it because it was a nice cage and all the stuff was a good deal. But she had the cage I told the kids I would buy them next year if they took really good care of them and we kept them. She said she didn’t want any money for them just a really good home and someone who knew about them and would play with them. My dad had them when we were growing up so I know some about them and have done a lot of research on them. I asked her about the cage. I told her I would be interested in it if she didn’t have other plans for it and wanted to sell it. She said she was going to try and just let it go with the ferrets because she felt they should stay in their “home” and things. She later text me back and said that her husband and son didn’t really want to get rid of them. She wanted to let it sit for a few days and talk to them about it some more. I told her that I didn’t really have to have them right a way I would like to get them the day of the party so to just let me know. I didn’t hear anymore back for a while. Then last Wednesday she contacted me and said if I wanted them they were going for sure so i could come get them. I took my son over with me to see them and pick them up. He fell in love with them as soon as he seen them. But then I couldn’t take them because the cage was bigger than I thought. i had to put both seats in the truck down and I had three of the kids with me I couldn’t do it. He got so upset and thought we weren’t getting them.

She held them and we went and picked them up Friday. I couldn’t get them until 730pm and then had to bring them home and take the cage all apart and clean it before I could bring it in. It was so dirty I don’t know the last time she cleaned it was. You can see the toys in the picture above where even dirty. Some of the stuff I took out got rid of and gave them other stuff it was so gross.  This is after we cleaned it and got it inside. My big dog watches them and tries to get them through the cage sometimes. I have to watch her trying to teach her she can’t eat them because she sure wants too.

 

My little dog on the other hand is so scared of them it isn’t funny. He went to the temporary cage we had them in looked sniffed and ran behind my legs and peeked out around at them. If they are out or the door is open he will come up try to smell them and then run a way if they look at him or try to smell him.

We haven’t been home as I had planed with helping my mom move but they are getting use to them. The one my daughter ended up with is feisty it will bite and hard. I know she is trying to play but I don’t think she was handled as much or they just haven’t been handled in a while. I am going to have to work with her so she is friendlier. But they are so cute and fun to watch in their cage when they play and things.

This is my oldest son’s her name is Sally. No idea where that name came from but hey He said he wanted a silver and black one and a boy. I got silver and black. Boy maybe next time.

This one is my oldest daughters her name is Angel 

Sometimes they will sleep together. 

If you don’t know Ferrets are related to the cat. They are much like kittens they love to play and you can train them to use a liter box. You can now buy ferret food for them but if you can’t find it in your area a very good brand of cat food high in protein can be used. They are meat eaters but can be given pellets and things if you start them on that and not meat.