It's all about the Freckles....

We've always said it's all about the Freckles (my long term behavioral foster) and apparently he's taken it to heart.

First, let me give you a little bit of background about our Freckles--when he came into the shelter he was a shall we say "a bit nippy". When we read the instructions his prior owner gave us, we figured out why.

According to her when he misbehaved we were to "strike him sharply on the nose". What that translated to, was a ferret who upon meeting someone (and for quite some time after he met them) he would "test" by biting pretty hard and then putting his head down-waiting to see if you hit him. So, obviously he couldn't be adopted out until we rehabbed him.

As a little bit of time went on--he didn't seem to be thriving at the shelter so I took him home (those of you who know me, know that I tend to take the fosters who don't do well at the shelter for various reasons) So, he came home with me and I worked with him--and he was pretty easy--all I did was when he bit me, hugged him and kissed him and told him that he would always be safe (mind you, that's not how I work with all biters--my method changes depending on the reason for the bite) As time went on, he completley stopped biting (he now smothers me with kisses and is a TOTAL mama's boy) but we found a malformed kidney that causes him pain if you move him a certain way and he has developed Adrenal and Insulinoma--so, we all know he is staying with me.

Yesterday, we had a big appt with the vet and I was going to the shelter early before we had to go. I decided to soup and medicate the kids who were staying home and I would soup and medicate the kids coming with me at the shelter. I've worked very hard to keep my kids on a schedule and I've seemed to do a very good job, because Mr. Freckles became very disgruntled when things were not as they usually are.

Everyone my house gets soup twice a day--but the healthy kids eat from the community bowl and the kids who are on meds-get their own bowl. Well, I put the community bowl down, put Meelo's down and put Prissy's in her cage. Because he is so used to his own bowl--he now won't eat at the community bowl (unless he has finished his and is still hungry). So, he walks over the to community bowl--looks at it, then looks up at me. He walks over to Meelo's bowl-looks at it and looks at me again--but this time his face says "excuse me mama--where is my soup" I tell him he will get it at Aunty's and put everyone in their respective carriers to go to the Shelter.

When we got to the Shelter, I took him out of his carrier and put him in one of the cages (because he is fresh with the other ferrets that were out--mind you-my guys have their own room at my house) I started getting everyone's soup and medicine together and I put a bowl of soup in the cage for him so I could continue to soup and medicate--but now, we are displeased and do not want want our soup (even though it's in it's own bowl) and are going to lurk under the (pink) blankets with just his eyes and nose showing -glaring with our little beady laser beam eyeballs at mama so she knows how displeased we are (and I know, you all know the look that I am talking about)

So, I took him out of the cage and had to hand feed him his soup--which mollified him a little bit because Mama was apparently showing the proper respect for "the Freckles" so he ate the whole bowl. When he was done, I put him back in the cage. But, that displeased him again so he proceeded to tear apart 'ahem, I mean "re arrange" the whole cage.

When it was time to go, we went around the room to collect weasle's and put them in their carriers-Diane happened to be closer at the time, so she opened the cage to get him (he was in one of the top cages) and he wouldn't come to her and was hovering back of the cage (I have to add, that he sees Aunty all the time and loves her) He was at the back corner of the cage--kicking up the litter box at her. She moved the box and now--he is standing in the very back corner with his back arched and all four feet touching so he can stay as far away as possible (think stereo typical Halloween black cat) So, I go over to get him, but she already gotten the stool out and had "retrieved the wayward weasle"

At the vet, 2 ferrets went into crisis, so I ended up staying so Diane could go back to the shelter to meet with a potential adopter and he went back to the shelter with her.

When I got back to the shelter--I greeted everyone, but all I got was a paw to the face pushing my chin away whenever I tried to kiss him.

He finally started kissing me again, this afternoon.

People tell me that rescued animals are always so grateful and I have to laugh--EVERY animal in my house is rescued and NONE of them act grateful--they all act entitled.

Well, they probably think that every single one of them have me wrapped around their paw!--and they'd be correct. LOL