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Post by katt on Jan 4, 2011 6:38:32 GMT -5
Ditto on the venting! haha I can vent to Shane, but I mean he is usually there to experience it with me so it's kind of redundant for him, and not as satisfying for me bc I can't TELL him the whole story because he already Saw it! I have to say that I feel VERY lucky to have a bf who not on;y supports my love of the ferrets but loves them as much as I do -as well as my other critters! Even Shane's family - who are NOT animal people love the ferrets. But my family, who are mostly animal people, give me a hard time... (I'm talking extended family mostly, my Mom gives me some lectures about being able to afford stuff when I'm in school, and how snakes are dangerous - haven't heard that since she actually visited and held my snake though! HA! - but usually she is supportive bc she is pretty much the reason I'm so crazy about animals as it is, being an avid animal lover herself! ). But yeah, I feel much more at home with Shane's family than the family I have in town because of the support instead of the snide comments. However lighthearted and joking they are meant to be, they still hurt esp when it is continuous over a long time. Like I get the idea - it's not funny anymore! I also agree that the term Hoarding is thrown around WAY too much. If the animals are getting proper care, vet attention, human attention and interaction, out of cage exercise time, and are clean, healthy as possible, and happy then someone can have a million animals for all I care. Everyone's limit is different! I have watched some of the Animal Hoarders shows and I hate how they put such a negative light on the people. These are just people ho need help, they are not (usually) bad people and they really do love the animals, they are just sick and don't see what they are doing to them. It makes me sad to watch for the animals and the people. I am glad that things are smoothing out a little with Uriah. I would get some sticky velcro though for the magnetic doors! I don't see it taking long for ferts to figure them out! Just a strip of velcro at the top out of reach will help keep them extra secure. It sounds to me like your bf really lies the ferrets but is just not admitting it. It is easy to say things you don't mean when you are upset. I can't count the number of times I told Koda - and now Kenai - that I was going to bring them to a shelter and leave them! But seriously, it sounds like he was just upset and taking his anger out on you, and through you, the ferrets. My younger siblings have ruined my stuff countless times growing up and when it happened I was always soo furious that I just wanted to choke them until they turned blue (but wouldn't I was never a physical person when angry lol) and would say some pretty nasty stuff to them. But I never meant it, they are my siblings and I love them. I hope things go a little better now, and that the weasels behave a bit better! AND that Uriah behaves better as well! I'm sorry you had to go through this, but as cliche as it sounds, it will only make your relationship stronger that you are able to work through this together and come up with a solution. Compromise is key to maintaining a good relationship. Thinking of you and your fuzz! *hugs*
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Post by miamiferret2 on Jan 4, 2011 7:59:57 GMT -5
Have you tried bitter apple spray on the cables? Sometimes it actually works.
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Post by sherrylynne on Jan 4, 2011 10:15:18 GMT -5
I'm glad things are being sorted out for both of you, and the fuzzies Good luck, and you can always vent here
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Post by mjohn143 on Jan 4, 2011 13:17:33 GMT -5
Yea Katt, I do feel for a lot of those people. I mean, they obviously truly care about these animals, they just don't know any better. That is funny ab Shane's family not being animal people and yours is and they are they ones who give you a hard time. I got my love for animals from my mother too... that is why I am so surprise at how she is about them sometimes. I think its just a money thing and she doesn't want me 'wasting' my money on them since I am in school.
I have tried bitter apple to NO avail with any. All I do is somehow end up with it in my eyes and or mouth no matter how careful I am. To bad there is such thing as an invisble fuzzie forcefield.
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Post by rarnold18 on Jan 4, 2011 14:29:47 GMT -5
do your Fuzz chew cardboard? If not you could use the cardboard tubes from toilet paper and papertowels to slip over the cords....
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Post by katt on Jan 4, 2011 14:42:36 GMT -5
do your Fuzz chew cardboard? If not you could use the cardboard tubes from toilet paper and papertowels to slip over the cords.... What a great idea! An idea I have also considered but not tried yet is to do the same thing with plastic tubes from he hardware store. I like the cardboard idea though - WAY cheaper!
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Post by mjohn143 on Jan 4, 2011 14:53:59 GMT -5
Idk... that is a good idea though, I would just rather them not get up there bc we have the tv wires, playstation 3, his stereo, and the surround sound, it is just too much! They are all taped up and actually go through the wall and plug in in the crawl space on the other side. So, not much is exposed at all, but when they get on top they like to chew the wires at the base of whatever they are connected to, so it would be hard to get tubes to fit where I need them. I just really would like to keep them away, but with 100% supervision hopefully it won't be an issue. I was thinking about getting a playpen though (the fold out white ones) anyway so if I had to run over to my moms or go oustide for a min I could throw them in there rather than round them all up and take them down to their cage on the landing, or at the very least throw up a quick barracade. I am sure I can fig something out after some testing. It is really MegaWeasel... the instigator and their leader. He is the worst and I just don't dicipline him at all... I mean he does get away with murder but he just looks soooooo hurt when I yell at him to quit doing something. I am sure it is all an act, but he deserves an oscar. He is my tender sensitive baby, yet still a mischievious bully.
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Post by katt on Jan 4, 2011 15:14:33 GMT -5
He is also Mommy's favorite if I do recall! I'm glad Koda doesn't act hurt when I yell at him or I'd be in trouble! Nope, instead he just ignores me completely, gives me an evil little look and returns to doing it, or pretends he didn't hear and walks off to something else like it was his idea and he's bored of this anyways. Usually the last only occurs after many many rounds of the first two! I feel your pain with the trouble making though! Koda NEVER used to chew cords even when he chewed everything else! But one day we left him in the bathroom (this was the last time) and he levitated onto the counter and destroyed the only thing up there - the charge cord to Shane's razor. Ever since then he is a little helion about cord chewing. That and the carpet are the 2 primary things that keep my room from ever beig truly ferret proofed.
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Post by rarnold18 on Jan 4, 2011 15:34:09 GMT -5
maybe a sheet of plexi glass to cover the entertainment center shelves so they can't climb them? The signals from the different remotes will still be able to go through the plexi but with the smooth surface the Fuzz can't climb....
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Post by mjohn143 on Jan 4, 2011 15:51:09 GMT -5
Haha yea I love them all, but he is special. I try at first with a simple "no" or "down" and pointing at him. but he keeps doing it and doing it and doing it and doing it until I scruff him and my "no" turns into a "NNOO!!" then he sulks down at my feet or will turn away from me and plop on the floor and I immediately scoop him into my arms and shower him with kisses. He just has the best (and worst) personality. I guess he has learned he can do what he wants, but I guess that is just one perk of being a precious little weasel.
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candiceboggs
Going Natural
Ferrets are nature's anti-depressant.
Posts: 187
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Post by candiceboggs on Jan 4, 2011 17:39:03 GMT -5
I did take rarnolds advice on the cabinet. We just went to home depot and got one of those particleboard kits for a 2 shelf cabinet with magnetic closure on the doors to put his stuff in (before it was just an open shelf). So that seemed to work well at least as far as yesterday went. I totally agree with what everyone said and how they feel about commitment to animals, and yes, shilohismygirl said it beautifully. I mean, like I said if it came down to that then we would be done bc I am never rehoming my babies. That being said, candiceboggs, you are right, I shouldn't say that when it is never going to be an option bc I understand exactly what you are saying and never thought of it that way before. Things have gotten better, they were good today and MegaWeasel slept in bf's lap for quite a while last night. I know one thing I have learned about ferrets is that it's definitely learn as you go bc there are always improvements or rearrangements that have to be made and they are quick to show you where. It is nice to hear especially when I don't really have anyone else to vent to on the situation without getting crap about things they don't understand. mjohn, So glad that his cabinet idea is working and that you guys have been able to figure things out. I'm so happy that you're one of the few who puts their pets first. I believe someone else on the same topic compared them to people in that they don't choose what homes they go to, their lifestyle is not voluntary as relationships are - and that made a lot of sense to me. I'm glad you were able to vent, I know what it's like to need to for sure. I'm so thankful forums like this exist, because so many of us on here have more than two pets (and thus we are crazy to outsiders) and it's like we're all a little forum family that "gets it". *modifies* Ooh! I love the playpen idea. I got a used one from a local rescue for half the price, if you want to find good deals. Couldn't find one on CL, but you might be able to. My friend, who has an unneutered hob, had great results with the "scruff and drag", which imitates a parent fuzz dragging the kit around. (Not sure if people are against that here or not, if so, apologies in advance.) I've only read good things about it in books, it doesn't have to be done roughly, just a normal scruff, then a dragging back and forth across the floor...
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Post by Heather on Jan 4, 2011 18:26:15 GMT -5
Some people have found success with it. I'm surprised that a hob would allow that but then maybe he's one of these laid back, really don't care hobs One thing to note is that if that method of discipline has been used since kit and it's always been fair and respectful then the ferret will probably allow this. Many of my rescues react with violence when scruffed. As I use scruffing to administer medications and I don't want them to associate getting meds with being bad (the meds are often horrible tasting and are brutal enough on the little ones) I don't use scruffing or scruffing and dragging to discipline. It's just my take on it, others have been successful using the scruff method ciao
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candiceboggs
Going Natural
Ferrets are nature's anti-depressant.
Posts: 187
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Post by candiceboggs on Jan 4, 2011 18:29:34 GMT -5
Some people have found success with it. I'm surprised that a hob would allow that but then maybe he's one of these laid back, really don't care hobs One thing to note is that if that method of discipline has been used since kit and it's always been fair and respectful then the ferret will probably allow this. Many of my rescues react with violence when scruffed. As I use scruffing to administer medications and I don't want them to associate getting meds with being bad (the meds are often horrible tasting and are brutal enough on the little ones) I don't use scruffing or scruffing and dragging to discipline. It's just my take on it, others have been successful using the scruff method ciao I've never personally found scruffing alone did anything, only the scruff and gently drag. My friend's hob is actually not very laid back, he had many issues with chomping down hard on toes, he was a former breeder hob in Canada (where she lives) that she rescued from somebody else. It's really helped with his hard biting issues apparently.
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Post by Heather on Jan 4, 2011 18:39:29 GMT -5
Odin was my rescued breeder's hob. Hmmm a passion for toes...that sounds like Odin You have to subdue those toes and then have your way with them Odin was 5 or so when he came to me. If I scruffed him (he still hates it) he would bite me....hard. Breeder's ferrets are a bit more, hmmm, up there on the behaviour scale. There was a discussion somewhere on here where the discussion about best behaved ferrets and where they came from. Marshals breeds for a passive ferret, some of the others are less so but healthier. PV's were considered one of the hardest to deal with in regards to behaviour only slightly less than breeders ferrets in the naughty behaviour catagory . ciao
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candiceboggs
Going Natural
Ferrets are nature's anti-depressant.
Posts: 187
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Post by candiceboggs on Jan 4, 2011 19:31:14 GMT -5
Odin was my rescued breeder's hob. Hmmm a passion for toes...that sounds like Odin You have to subdue those toes and then have your way with them Odin was 5 or so when he came to me. If I scruffed him (he still hates it) he would bite me....hard. Breeder's ferrets are a bit more, hmmm, up there on the behaviour scale. There was a discussion somewhere on here where the discussion about best behaved ferrets and where they came from. Marshals breeds for a passive ferret, some of the others are less so but healthier. PV's were considered one of the hardest to deal with in regards to behaviour only slightly less than breeders ferrets in the naughty behaviour catagory . ciao Hahaha! Fuzzies and toes... So true about some breeder's ferrets. I got bit twice by breeder ferrets at the one place I told you about, once on my chin, and once deep in my finger where it drew a lot of blood and took months to heal right. I got to handle and trim nails of RC's, PV's, FFF, and MF, and found that MF were the easiest. FFF were the bitiest to me, but still, none of the mill ferrets hurt like the breeder's ferrets did. There were probably more Real Canadians than Path Valley because at the time all PetCo stores had quit selling Marshall's (they've gone back to Marshall's actually now) and there was a huge influx of RC's. The reason for this, I was told, were so many of the MF kits arriving dead at the store, I don't know why they went back to MF, maybe too many bite complaints and returns. Real Canadians had the most gorgeous coat IMO but from what the shelter people told me they were the ones they had to rehab for bite aggression the most before being able to be put up for adoption.
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