My apologies to all the ferret lovers out there....

[shortylickens]

I purchased Roy a few weeks ago from a pet store. Though he was albino but turned out to be just a plain blonde. He was only 12 weeks old at the time, already fixed and descented and ready to go. I loved him and he loved me. Liked to crawl on my lap and help me type. We had a little trouble with the litter training but I have been told its standard fare with all ferrets and if we both work at it we can get about a 90% success rate.
He did get something resembling a cold a few weeks ago, but it washed over quickly with a lot of help and meds from the local vet (who happens to specialize in ferrets). Too cold for him to visit the outdoors and most of the neighbor kids probably couldnt handle themselves around him anyway. But he did enjoy running around the house. Though if you leave them outside the cage for long make sure you have a litter pan in EVERY corner of the house, especially nooks and cranny's. They are instinctively latrine animals but they never travel far to do business.

For those of you who dont have an ominous feeling in your guts yet I have to tell you this story doesnt have a happy ending.

Got back from my night job this morning and Roy was full of beans as usual. Had a heck of a time changing his water and food without his little nose in the way. Let him run around the bathroom for a while and did the usual litter changing and cage cleanup. Put him back in and he was happy as a clam. This afternoon when I woke up to get ready for work I went in to check on him. Since he's deaf I usually dont concern myself if I dont get some action upon opening the door. I wont bore you folks with the maudlin details, suffice to say my Roy had passed on. Near as I could tell he got bored with his supper dish about halfway through and decided the plush bed would make a better snack. Have no idea how long it took him to tear through the cloth covering but eventually he got to the foam padding.
As most pet owners know such padding is like candy to the average pet but also very dangerous to their digestive system. Large dogs usually just get sick and throw it up. Cats and ferrets are not always so lucky.
By the time I found him his body was cold and rigid, and I knew right then and there I was not as careful or caring a man as I once thought.

I was planning to take pics of him but we always had so much fun together I could never the camera out. For anyone who has had a good friend for seven weeks and never saw them again you can appreciate what this feels like.
For everyone else I hope you never do.

I'm sorry Roy. You deserved better in my hands.

 

[Ika]

for Roy

I don't think I should get a pet anymore.

 

[jadinolf]

 

[Stumps]

sorry for your loss...it's horrible when young pets die.

 

[OVerLoRDI]

I'm sorry to hear that man.

 

[slightlyhuman]

=[

 

[aidanjm]

where was the plush bed? in the cage? maybe sue the manufactuer, it obviously isn't ferret safe.

how sad.

will you get another ferret?

 

[Captante]

RIP Roy!

 

[uberman]

My condolences for your loss.

 

[BoberFett]

Sorry to hear it man, but don't take it out on yourself.

 

[wasssup]

Next time buy two ferrets.

 

[shortylickens]

Originally posted by: wasssup
Next time buy two ferrets.

I'm thinking next time maybe a one-year-old instead of a kit.

All the stuff I read after buying Roy told me that kids are a pain to break in.
Adults tend to be better for beginning owners.

And I cant sue the manufacturer. Even though the bed had a picture of a ferret on it. The truth is: Nothing is ferret safe. And all ferret owners take that responsibility upon adoption. Have read a few news articles and the lawsuits never seem to find in favor of the pets family. It isnt possible to make something that a ferret cant destroy (given enough time).

Its my fault for not thouroughly inspecting his cage every 12 hours for bits of fluff. If I had noticed earlier that he was chewing on his bed I may have been able to remove it and check him out.

But as others have said, its no good beating myself up.

A few folks responded in PM's and were wondering about his remains.
It seems in Oregon you arent allowed to bury an animal in your backyard, so I'll take him down to the cemetary at the Humane Society. Very nice grass field off to the side with flowers and a big tree. Its the least I can do for him.

The Lane Area ferret lovers said they would take his supplies off my hands. I must have spent about 200 bucks between the cage and all his toys and litter and food and special needs (ear cleaner, eye cleaner, deoderizer and ultra-small harness). Somebody else should benefit. I dont want to just toss them in the trash.

As for my earlier comments about maturity and selfishness: Some of you may have seen my thread from yesterday about the football.
My company had a raffle and gave me a ball signed by U of O head coach Mike Belotti. Rather than sink further into the greed and self-centeredness I decided to give it to a charity. I suspect some sick kid in a hospital would like it much more than I. And the potential money lost on the eBay sale is not something I deserve.

Lesson to all potential ferret buyers: They require special care and attention and even if you think you have lots of free time in your life, it may not be enough.

 

[Azraele]

Don't blame yourself. It sounds like you took very good care of Roy, and that he had a very happy life with you.

If you decide to get another (and I think you should!) consider getting a pair, since they tend to keep each other company.

I recently lost my ferret of 8 years from complications related to old age. Her fur had gone all white she was so old.

 

[skyking]

I'm very sorry for your loss, and I have felt those feelings of inadequacy myself.

bury him in your yard if you wish. I had big dogs that the vet took care of, but both of them have a landscape rock in the yard that has special meaning for my wife and I. One rock was the threshhold for the kennel gate, the big lug liked to dig when he was a pup and it slowed him down a bit.

 

[moshquerade]

Originally posted by: shortylickens
I purchased Roy a few weeks ago from a pet store. Though he was albino but turned out to be just a plain blonde. He was only 12 weeks old at the time, already fixed and descented and ready to go. I loved him and he loved me. Liked to crawl on my lap and help me type. We had a little trouble with the litter training but I have been told its standard fare with all ferrets and if we both work at it we can get about a 90% success rate.
He did get something resembling a cold a few weeks ago, but it washed over quickly with a lot of help and meds from the local vet (who happens to specialize in ferrets). Too cold for him to visit the outdoors and most of the neighbor kids probably couldnt handle themselves around him anyway. But he did enjoy running around the house. Though if you leave them outside the cage for long make sure you have a litter pan in EVERY corner of the house, especially nooks and cranny's. They are instinctively latrine animals but they never travel far to do business.

For those of you who dont have an ominous feeling in your guts yet I have to tell you this story doesnt have a happy ending.

Got back from my night job this morning and Roy was full of beans as usual. Had a heck of a time changing his water and food without his little nose in the way. Let him run around the bathroom for a while and did the usual litter changing and cage cleanup. Put him back in and he was happy as a clam. This afternoon when I woke up to get ready for work I went in to check on him. Since he's deaf I usually dont concern myself if I dont get some action upon opening the door. I wont bore you folks with the maudlin details, suffice to say my Roy had passed on. Near as I could tell he got bored with his supper dish about halfway through and decided the plush bed would make a better snack. Have no idea how long it took him to tear through the cloth covering but eventually he got to the foam padding.
As most pet owners know such padding is like candy to the average pet but also very dangerous to their digestive system. Large dogs usually just get sick and throw it up. Cats and ferrets are not always so lucky.
By the time I found him his body was cold and rigid, and I knew right then and there I was not as careful or caring a man as I once thought.

I was planning to take pics of him but we always had so much fun together I could never the camera out. For anyone who has had a good friend for seven weeks and never saw them again you can appreciate what this feels like.
For everyone else I hope you never do.

I'm sorry Roy. You deserved better in my hands.

jesus, that's sad.

 

[Minerva]

Poor little guy.

I had a ferret that managed to get into the garage and ate rat poison.

I was devestated.

RIP Roy

 

[0roo0roo]

basically they bred common sense outa the poor things. tad silly they are.

 

[Minerva]

Originally posted by: 0roo0roo
basically they bred common sense outa the poor things. tad silly they are.

They're actually very intelligent, social animals. They will get bored if not given attention and tend to do silly things.

 

[Toastedlightly]

Sounds like my luck w/ Cocatiels. I killed 2 of them (less than a year each ). It sucks when pets die.

 

[SlitheryDee]

R.I.P. Roy

This is sort of the reason that I'm hesitant to get a pet of any sort.

I'm away from the house for at least 9 hours a day. A similar mishap seems like a near certainty when you consider what a bored pet might do when left alone for that long.

 

[skyking]

Originally posted by: SlitheryDee
R.I.P. Roy

This is sort of the reason that I'm hesitant to get a pet of any sort.

I'm away from the house for at least 9 hours a day. A similar mishap seems like a near certainty when you consider what a bored pet might do when left alone for that long.

That is a deal breaker, and you are wise to be so hesitant. Unless you have a team mate to help out, one of those 9 hour days can turn into 12 or more on a bad day. Between my wife and I, one of us gets home. Or we call the nieghbors who have a key.

 

[coolred]

My wife wants to get a ferret. I am not a big pet person. Not to say i don't like animals, my family just never had any pets and I just never really wanted one. But ferrets seem like a pet that I would enjoy very much, with their playfulness and curiosity.

This is a very sad thing to hear, I have never had and therefor never lost a pet, but I feel for you. But hopefully this will make others care for their pets that much more. Not in any way saying you cared for Roy poorly, from the story you seemed to have loved him and treated him as such. But these things happen, hopefully others can learn from your loss.

I for one had no idea about their love of foam, nor that it could kill. I promise you that if we do ever get a ferret or any pet, I will research it throughly before hand. Sorry for your loss. RIP Roy.

 

[shortylickens]

Please do research first. Not only are they very expensive they are very complicated to care for.
They also exhibit strange personality traits and cant be treated like cats or dogs.
Its not a good idea to get one unless everybody in your household is at least 10 years old and can be patient with them. They seem to have a knack for causing trouble even when there is none.

They almost always need at least one major surgery by the time they are 6 years old. Also need special food and medicine. Feeding them generic stuff is very bad.

 

[Geocentricity]

Next time buy a pet that has been domesticated, or a polar bear. That way it can survive 34 degree weather forever.

 

[Sinsear]

Dear Shorty,

I'm sorry i waited these years to express my condolences on the loss of your ferret. The timing just never felt right.