Our sanity is no longer in question. I'm convinced we're crazy.

Anywho.. I read about Baloo on APF (alt.pets.ferrets) where I usually lurk & attempt to keep up with things. 'Attempt' being the operative word here.. It seems Baloo's humans had tried everything they could think of to alleviate his biting and it just wasn't working out. Long story short, it was time to find him a new home.

So I thought about it for a day before I responded.. Or maybe I thought about it until Geoff came home, I can't remember at this point. Geoff, of course, suggested that since "nobody else'd step up, we might as well." You see how helpful he is with ferret math. I mean, really. :)

I sent off my response & over the next week I had the opportunity to learn a little bit about Baloo. He was a very, very skittish 7 month old boy. I'm not sure I ever found out where he came from, but am fairly certain he was privately bred as his scent glands are intact. Baloo bites when he's scared, whenever you back away from him or when you try to take something that he thinks is "his" away. He's also terrified of being picked up, but if you hold him close he seems to feel more secure.

Essentially, he's your typical ferret, just scared most of the time. His curiosity is slowing overpowering his fear of people. He's fascinated with the sound of a treat can rattling and will come running whenever he hears it. He's not real interested in the treats themselves, but does make an effort to take as many as he can possibly fit in his mouth before he runs off again. I don't even think he actually eats them, since he tends to be back for more way too quickly. I've tried handing the treats to him and he just gives them a dismissive sniff - and I've tried this with a variety of treats, so I'm pretty sure it's just the can he wants.

The only thing he's ever really gone bonkers over is Ferretone. Thank goodness for Ferretone is all I have to say :) He would probably have the longest nails and dirtiest ears if it weren't for that stuff...

Baloo is the only ferret I know that can resist a moving tube. The rest of the kids go absolutely wild when I go in to play with them and move their tube set-up around. Just touching the thing is enough to set Dook off in a gale of, well, dooks!

Usually waving a t-shirt around over the ferrets' heads is enough to set the rest of them off. I can get the whole crew going, but not Baloo.. He's either under the futon or under the cage poking his little black nose out at the world. If I try to get him involved with playing with a t-shirt, he simply grabs it, bolts himself to the floor and tries to take it away. He'll start hissing and spitting if you don't just give up your treasure & let him have it. So while it's an interesting reaction, I don't think it's a good game for Baloo particularly.. At this point, I'm really stuck for a way to teach him to play with us.

Speaking of dragging things around, he rearranges the entire room almost on a nightly basis. If things aren't secured, and are moveable by a ferret, they're being moved. Before I found a way to block the closet off, he used to scale the carriers inside to get up to the shelf where I keep all the ferret supplies. I can't tell you the number of times I came home to a big mess of stuff he'd thrown all over the place. The rat!

We seem to have an understanding though.. I don't mess with him much and he doesn't mess with me much. I say he bites, because I know he does, but I've only lost blood to him a couple of times. I own a pair of thick heavy gloves that I use to catch him when he's wide awake, otherwise I can lure him out with 'tone or he crawls into something tube-like and I can pick up that.

I do make an effort to pick Baloo up each day & hold him. He usually poofs & clings to me, but will gradually relax. My husband always wants to pet him when I have him 'restrained'. He consistently goes for the pointy end, so I have to swing Baloo's back around to meet his hand. After he's done petting Baloo, I'm supposed to put the "loaded weapon" away. Whatever, honey :)

I started Baloo on Rescue Remedy several weeks ago. It's an herbal supplement that is supposed to be calming. I'm not sure that it's really working, but I have noticed Baloo is quicker to relax when I'm holding him and recently, there have been some occasions where he doesn't stiffen up at all. I've talked to a number of people that have had success with Rescue Remedy, so I'm all for giving it a go.

Anywho, we'll keep you posted about Baloo's progress and will keep the pictures rolling in as well.

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1/12/07 - sleep well, little man. I will forever remember you as an ornery little stinker, and will probably always watch my feet when I hear a squeaky toy go off.