Hello From Canada.

[eschimpf]

So....

This coming monday is my husband and my wedding Anniversary. For a long while now I have been talking about how nice it would be to have a ferret. Well tonight I was doing my usually kijiji crawl when I came to a lovely boy for sale. A ferret nation cage, food, toys and ferret for $90. So I said to my husband: "Awe me, look at that, a ferret with everything for less than the cage price. I wish I had a ferret I would show him what a real home is like."

Wouldn't you guess it, he's been having a hard time finding the perfect gift. So he looked at me and asked me if I thought I could handle another pet (we have 7 guinea pigs and 3 kids). I sat for a while and thought about it, I've only been reading everything I can on them for 6 months.

I told him that I could handle one more cage. So he told me to call the lady and ask all the questions that needed to be asked. His name is Farnado(we are changing that). Shes had him for 2 months, hes fixed and descented, but doesn't get along with her dog. I forgot to ask why the old owner gave him to her, he's apparently 2 years old but he seems very small for 2.

I haven't taken any photos yet, but hes settling in his cage in our room, little bugger moved everything once I got it just so.

So I need name suggestions people!

I want to go full out raw diet but I'm going to wait until I get all the information that I need on it first. Hence why I joined this ferret forum to learn more on it.

Well here are some photos.

Last night:







And this morning:





He slept or was at least pretty quiet last night. So that was nice.

[kainslie]

CONGRATS!! he's so cute!!

I must say though, i'm very jealous... I bought my ferret that's 4 years old, with cage and everything for 200 dollars... then I dished out another 180 for a ferret nation. You got an amazing deal for everything!

Gosh, he's cute. =]

[eschimpf]

I know! When I told my hubby how much the cage alone cost his jaw dropped lol.

I see your in Alberta where abouts? I'm in Edmonton.

[kainslie]

I'm in calgary! =] There's another girl here that's from Calgary also. So there are three albertan's =]

did you get the FN 143?

[eschimpf]

I think so, they said he came to them with that cage but they didn't know what it was other than a FN. So I don't know. Poor little guy has had at least 3 homes now. He is lucky, he's now in a forever home

[bluemoose]

What a cutie He's a beautiful color!

[eschimpf]

Thanks Hes got a white almost blaze up his face and down his neck and the front of his neck is white. He sure is cute, a little while ago I checked in on him and he wanted out, which I couldn't really do because pretty soon I have to take my 5 year old to school, but I held him and he was licking my arm. So cute and sweet. Still no idea for a name though.

[Heather]

Hi and welcome on board
What a cutie. Please feel free to prowl and read through threads and ask questions. Everyone's friendly and no question is too silly to ask or be answered If you're considering a natural diet for your little furfriend might I suggest checking out our nutritional section. It covers a lot of facts and offers complete support for anyone trying to either make the decision to switch or needing assistance. I hope that I will be seeing you around and hope that you will consider participating in the discussions and regaling us with "tails" of your little fellow.
ciao

[eschimpf]

Hi Heather!

I'm very interested in going raw. My mom has snakes and she has left over African Soft Furred Rats in the freezer that her snakes just would not eat (they prefer her freshly killed gerbils lol). Shes going to bring me those. I've found a few place off Kijiji that sell frozen mice and rats at many ages. I want to find some chicks and rabbit but that's being a challenge so far. I always have tons of chicken and pork. I have some Bison, can they have that? I'll have to check on that. I also get moose and deer from family so again I'll have to see if he can eat that.

I think I have come up with a name... Mr. Bean! I just have to wait to see what hubby thinks of it.

[katt]

Hi and welcome! your little guy is sooo cute! I love that blaze! Hree is a list of ferret names.
holisticferret.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=talking&action=display&thread=5887
I recommend reading around the feeding and nutrition area of the forum for more on raw diets. Also, we have a great mentor program that you can sign up for as well when you are ready to start the switch.

As a side note, I would also suggest looking into this thread: holisticferret.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=talking&action=display&thread=6082&page=1
Your baby has a blaze, which is a common marking in Waarendberg's ferrets. With him being rehomed twice in the last few months, it is possible that he is deaf and the owner(s) didn't know how to deal with it. They may have not mentioned it afraid it would scare people off, and/or they might not have known. *shrugs* He might not have it at all, but it is worth being aware of.

Welcome and I look forwards to seeing you around the forum!

[eschimpf]

OMGosh! Thank you. I have notice that I can open my bedroom door, walk to the cage, open it and he doesn't wake until I start petting him. And I have yet to hear him make any noise, but I think its to early to know anything for sure. I'll keep reading up on that. Thank you so much

And just an FYI I would have taken him even if they told me he's deaf. My oldest guinea pig is blind and has arthritis. I have nothing against things like that because it makes them even more special. <3

[sherrylynne]

Hi and welcome!! He's gorgeous I'm the other Calgarian on board
Does sound like your new baby is deaf. Not to worry- I've got two deafies They are darlings. Now
So glad you want to get him onto a more natural diet. Like the others have said- check out the nutritional section, and apply for a mentor if you like. The times you'll likely hear noise from him is after he's settled in, and become comfortable around you and everyone else. Word of warning- deafies will sometimes scream when startled. They are also known to go into what is known as a "dead ferret sleep". Just wanted to make you aware, so you don't panic if it happens My Willow does this regularly. I'll pick her up, and she'll be completely limp, and totally unresponsive- so I play with her legs and head Here's a sample of what it can look like:

[eschimpf]

I have a question, when I take him out just have he wakes up he shakes. Is it because hes cold, scared, excited or something else?

I all on board for raw, my hubby on the other hand is squeamish and isn't as on board but I think as long as I fed when hes not around it should be ok, ie. once in the morning when hes at work and once at night when he is online playing is computer game.

I am having trouble finding information on starting a raw diet, like do I just jump right in there or slowly go in (which is what I think would be the right answer but you never know). Can someone point me in the right direction for that.

[Heather]

The shaking is the way a sleeping ferret brings their body temp. up to normal. They all do it
If you want to really check out methods that people use to switch their little ones...go into the nutritional section, look into the personal mentoring threads....you will know them by {name} switching thread/and the mentor. You can't post to these threads but there is boundless information of how to begin the switching process, various measures used by the mentors and their students. Also check out the vault. These are members who for one reason or another didn't complete their switching assignments. Again, you cannot post to these threads (they're actually locked) but you can read the information posted. All of these threads are open for anyone to read and study the various methods used to switch fuzzies.
Keep asking questions
ciao

[eschimpf]

Perfect thanks! My hubby was really worried.

Update:
We test him with loud noises while he was sleeping. he did not respond at all. So I'm going to say yes he's deaf. Is there anything special I need to do or worry about with him being deaf?

I'm heading over to check out the information, I also signed up for a mentor. My husband gets paid tomorrow so I'm going to go through my freezer and see what I have and go from there. My mom has some ASFs so I'll ask her to bring those, if not I'll have them next month when I go down for Christmas. I also found a person to buy mice and rats from. I am going to try and make some duck soup this weekend.