Ferret Frenzy

I went to the Everett library after getting off work yesterday. There was an educational showing of reptiles by the Northwest Herp Society. There was some friends and some aquaintences there. Justin and I brought Talamar. She loves car rides but just like me, isn't too keen on children. She would walk right onto an adult's hand with minimal coexing but refused the dirty kids! Ha ha! We saw some geckos and snakes and one skink. A couple of the members pursuaded us to join but we are still considering. When we got home at 2pm, Talamar fell asleep on my chest while I pet her. Then I went to sleep. I work at midnight so I needed my rest. Amberdrake sat on the window sill and looked outside. Every day after work, I take naps with Talamar. Which is probably why she stays up so late, when Amberdrake is already asleep. She also gets up before him. Those hornies!

On Saturday I went to the reptile expo in Puyallup with my husband, Justin. We were so excited, like ferrets in a bag of rice! There was so much to see and so many reptiles to hold! Last year's expo was far better but that doesn't much. I got a book on Horned Lizards. I've discovered 9 months ago that of all the creatures of the world, hornies suited me best. I had stumbled upon a pair of wild-caught Desert horns in a pet store and purchased them immediatly.

I admit, I never had prior experience with them and found out quickly they are extremely difficult to keep in captivity. We planned an outting to Idaho to release them. Sadly, Maverick withered and passed away 2 weeks later. Then I dropped a piece of glass and cut my right foot open, severing the tendons which required surgery. Much to my dismay and very heavey guilt, Sasano (who was prospering and bonding with me quit nicely) died. We had converted a coffee table to a very large home after Justin cut glass and fitted it to the sides. The day after my surgery I had to get down the stairs to the bathroom by myself, as Justin was at work, and I left the bedroom door open by mistake. My cat Sasori got Sasano. I vowed never to have hornies again! I hated myself for I have never felt love before like I felt for Maverick and Sasano.

A month later I came across a reptile harvester. His animals were in a cramped, dissmal state, all wild-caught. He had a whole group of Desert hornies and I couldn't help myself. I picked out two after 3 hours!!! I had to chose wisely, as many of them were sick, cold, and felt weak. Too weak to be in captivity. For 5 months now, I have enjoyed the pleasure that Talamir and Amberdrake bring me. They are currently in hibernation. I took great pains to moniture their temps like a hawk so that they'd be in the proper state had they still ben in the wild.

Any who, I diverted myself. We bought two new roach colonies at the expo. For Justin's baby girl, Uchiha the frilled dragon that we got at the same expo last year. I actually picked her out for my first true reptile. Over five years we've fostered ferrets and reptiles but I never attached to any of them. Only one ferret, Horus. He passed away in Novemeber of last year and with him went my drive for ferrets. I don't know why, but I just can't bring myself to desire the attentions of fuzzies any more. Until I discovered hornies, I was never able to feel that deep love that I've only ever had for Horus and Justin.

We also picked up some heat lights, good deals there! And a new dual heat lamp for only $25! It's $60 in the stores and I squealed when I saw it. I'd ben wanting it but recoiled at the thought of spending so much cash. Last year I got the best heat lamp I've ever used before for $20. At the pet stores it's $80! Holy shit! I still go into Pet Pourri and stare wistfully at it. I'd like another for the hornies. The new lamp went to Justin's snake Lereath. She's a 3 year old red-tailed boa. In case you are curious, we have 1 ferret, 2 hornies, 1 snake, 1 dragon and 2 cats.

Sasori is going to Justin's parents' farm. I just can't stand to see her. She reminds me of my crime against Sasano and there is only so many months I can constantly be reminded of the life I let her take. She also tried to get into the horny room, our tv room where they are kept, to get at them. She has a terrible thirst for small animals, especially lizards. We were given a corn snake at one day it got out. We didn't see it for 4 months!! Then one day, Raisin showed up in our bedroom. Crazy snake. He got out a second time after we thought we'd secured her tank and Sasori got to her...

At one time we had a baby iguana. I converted a cabinet into a grand home and found him someone to love him. The first day we had him though he leapt out of my hands and Hermies took after him! I was screaming and trying to grab Hermies (yes, yes, cats are terrible to have when you have reptiles) but Hermies chased him under the table and behind a bunch of boxes. We had just moved into our first place together. Suddenly, Hermies popped out from behind the boxes, all fluffed up with Iggy hot on his heels!! We both laughed. A cat running from a lizard only 2 inches long.

I've distracted myself again. My friend Sally was at the expo as well. Her passion lies in geckos and skinks. We gave her her first reptile ever, Chub Chub, a skink. And her first gecko, a white-striped named Vodoo. I got him from Petco and realized, shit, geckos aren't for me. The day I gave him to her, he screamed at me and savaged my finger with his tiny teeth. Sally takes care of her herps with a fervor that goes well beyond obssetion. But I understand as does any fanatical animal lover.

Also making an appearence was Bella Donna. She works at the Monroe reptile zoo. I met her there when I started working as a volunteer two years ago and we formed and cemented a friendship so quickly one would think we've known each other for years. She has turtles, cobras, lizards and snakes. I'd love to get my hands on her King Cobra. She gave us the name of a gal who sold us our first cobra, Indy. Indy was a black-spitting Indonisian cobra. Justin cared for her as if he birthed her from his womb. Sadly Indy recently passed away. And now we can't get another cobra thanks to that stupid law in Washington that bands venomous snakes. Let idiots who think they know everything get bit and die horrible deaths. There are plenty of experienced herp-lovers who never underestimate them that can't have one now. Blanket laws infuriate me. You can't protect all idiots from themselves. On the other hand, I like the idea of people who just get an animal to have it then discard it being unable to get one. But most joe-schmoos don't up and decide to get a venoumos snake. They weren't easy to get in the begining. People are going to abuse animals no matter what you say or do. Some don't even realize what they are doing. It's difficult to look at ones self critically and admit when you are wrong and incapable of taking care of a precious life or lives in many cases. These same people do this with children too. They think animals or children or both can save a marriage or fill a void they lack by throwing things into it.

There I went again, off on a tangent. Justin and I went to the expo to celebrate 2 1/2 years of marriage. To date, we've ben together for five years. I knew him for three years before we finally started dated. He was and continues to be my best friend. That's him on the background with our American alligator, Sobek. He went to the reptile expo after we healed him up. Sobek was used to take photos with for a while. Now he's too surly and retired to a large tank of his own. A 19 year-old got him in Oregon on a whim, took care of him for two weeks them stopped. Leaving rotten meat and even more rotten water in his tank! Sobek thrashed Justin's finger once! He even death-rolled the offending finger. Justin laughed so hard he cried. Such a tiny creature taking on a full-grown human! We got Chub Chub and Mondo the ball python from the same boy. Both so emaciated and cold I'm amazed they survived. He told us he hadn't fed Mondo for a year and only gave Chub Chub meal worms.

We also got to mingle with some of the members of the Herp Society. I am not a member, but Justin and I enjoy going to their educational reptile shows as well as talking herpies with them. There should be a ferret expo. I'd go to that. I like to keep my finger lightly on the pulse of the reptile community.

 

 

 

 

He sits in my lap while I upload this pic! ^_~

Our ferret named Horus is now a free ranger of the house. Aside from the times when no one is home he gets to roam the whole of our house. Justin and I recently noticed he was having trouble with his back legs when he first woke up. We think he may just have a hard time gettin' them legs going after sleeping hard but it could also be arthritis. Any who, as it seems Horus is getting along in years, we decided he would be allowed out most of the time. All our ferrets get to play in the kitchen and sun room area for a couple hours and then unleashed upon the rest of our home to wreck havoc.

Except for the upstairs. The carpet is too nice for that .^_~  Horus can go upstairs if he wants. I just don't think he can handle the stairs. I love to carry him up with me though. He gets so excited and after jumping about and many breaks in between the bounding, he's ready to sleep. He is such an adorable silver. When he really gets worked up, he'll jump around for 30 seconds wildly, lay down for a breather and then is back at it for another 30 seconds!

I really hope that all the extra loving and time to be by himself helps him out. After two weeks he already seems healthier and more energetic. Even keeping up with some of the more wily ferrets, like Butters and Radu!

The one draw back about having so many ferrets, is that they all don't get their own hidy holes and storage places. Seeing as Horus is enjoying himself so much, Justin and I deceided to let each ferret have an hour or so to themselves in the whole house each night. That way they can just get away from the others and hord to their pleasure. This has been the third day and it's working out great.

We have been reluctant to let them into the whole house since it is a rental. But I just said to Justin, "Bah! We'll be here for a few years so let's stop fussing about the carpet! If it gets ripped up I'll tear it out and put in a new one." We have been so careful about the carpets because we thought we may stay for only a year depending on my college situation since the only place I can go is Oregon. But since a branch will be in Kirkland in a couple years then so what?! Let's let them ferrets go wild!

On Saturday I put my corn snake, Raisin, in a large tank with my Savu python Tokie. They always get along swimmingly. I checked them at intervals of 30 minutes while cleaning the house. Tokie is almost four feet and Raisin is a bit longer. Any who, I decided to read a chapter or two of Taggerung by Brian Jacques. My sister, Megan, calls and asked if I wanted to come over and play Naruto 3 on the Game Cube! WOULD I EVER?! I swear to you, I flew out the door.

My boyfriend, Justin, met me there and oh how we played well into the night! The battles were glorious, the sloppy joes heavenly and the company good. We got on the topic of snakes (as we often do) and I remembered I left Raisin in Tokie's tank! Gasp! We joked about the idea of Tokie eating Raisin (now is the time for ominous music). Justin began to get very worried. He always worries too much whereas I don't worry enough. So finally, I have to head home. I had to start work at midnight.

When we got home Justin and I threw ourselves over the the tank, lifted the hiding rocks one by one...and found only Tokie. A very fat, very content Tokie. He couldn't even lift his head to look at us. "What?!" I say, Justin fumes. I can't help but laugh though! The great cycle of life I try to explain to Justin.

It is sad that Raisin got eaten and if I had been more attentive it would never have happened. I feel bad for the little guy but I do feed rats, mice and even birds to my snakes. I plan on getting and Indigo and they are snake eating snakes.

The one thing I can't figure out is this, Tokie at a mouse on Wednesday and two chicks on Thursday. So how could he stuff a snake longer then him in?! What a pig...

Live and learn?