30 Days to Blog Paws

Marylin: Wowzerz just one month until wez get to see all of our friends and make some new ones at Blog Paws in Nashville, TN.
Marcuz: Yep and while wez haven’t sold enough Music City Ferrets to really do the contests wez wanted wez have decided to post the Scavenger list for the those that have bought them.
Marylin: Does that mean wez can change the rules a little bit?
Marcuz: Yepz it is our contest. The first change is that unless wez sell more Music City Ferrets there will be no piccy contest. The second change is that all of those that have bought a Music City Ferret and are having them hand delivered can participate in the Scavenger hunt. So while wez wanted to have three shipped ferrets before starting this contest wez do have enough to start the contest. The original rules were:
1. You have to have a mobile hidey hole. Be creative as each ferret has his or her own space to hide stuff in.
2. Do take pictures of the found items but only post a portion of the found item to make others wonder what the item could be. NO DESCRIPTIONS! just the photo *chitters*
3.Your ferret MUST travel with you and may be in the photos
4. Have fun if it isn’t fun then why doz it?
The hooman who has collected all or most of the items will be eligible for the prize.
Each hidey hole will be inspected by Hooman and ourselves to determine the winner at Blog Paws.

Marylin: The Changes are to number 3 Your Ferret MUST travel with you if it has been shipped other wise you just need to follow rule #2 exactly.
So what is a Music City Ferret? This is a Music City Ferret
Each one is numbered and there will only be 30 made. Each ferret cost $20 with a shipping fee of $6 US or $25 International. For those that are hand delivered there will be no shipping cost.
To get your ferret just drop Hooman an email with Nashville Ferret in the subject line toz enlightenedferret@hotmail.com and she willz get back to youz on howz toz order one.
Orders will be taken until May 15 to make sure your ferret arrives in time for the fun. Date is subject to change.
Marcuz: Soz to those that already have a ferret the scavenger hunt will begin. Remember the first thing is a photo of your mobile Hidey hole. It can be no bigger than a large shopping bag but it does not have to be a shopping bag. This just gives youz an idea of the size.
Remember the idea is to think like a ferret.
Scavenger list:

Ferret Plan a Bust

Two weeks ago I told you about my plan to get me to Blog Paws this year.  I set an extremely high goal of selling 300 stuffed ferrets at a reduced price between 27-50% off of the normal price thinking that many would jump at the chance.
I've had a lot of oohs and awwws, how cute, adorable, ect. but only one buyer. So while I will continue to sew these adorable little ones the price has to go back up starting on Sunday March 30th.
For those attending Blog Paws I will still offer free shipping as I am still working towards getting there somehow. Those that have talked to me about custom ferrets I will let you know the price of those ferrets as they have always been different due to the fact that the material is supplied from other sources.
So until Sunday these guys and any listed on the Enlightened Ferret Fashion's  Face book page are still $10 and Angel $16 each then the prices will revert to the $20 and Angel $22 prices and they will be listed either in the Ferret Fabulous Finds Auction House on Face book or on Etsy.

See someone here you love and want to have you can email me at enlightenedferret@hotmail.com for adoption information. Please let me know if you are attending Blog Paws in the email or if you live outside of the United States.

Steel

Betsy

Charcoal

Chip

Sweet Little Hearts Adopted

Jeffery Adopted

Leopold Adopted

Angel ADOPTED

Rainbow

Razamataz

Regina

Seabert

Tony
Have a Chittering Good Day,

Jo

The Ferret Plan

As many of you know we got our domain name back last week. *Happy Weasel War dance*
I also launched the Ferret Plan campaign to get us to Blog Paws May 8-10 in Nevada but I really didn’t outline how adopting these ferrets will help us.
First, let me say I already have my ticket thanks to The Pet Blog Lady.
60 Ferrets = Hotel Room
25 Ferrets = Vet travel certificate/vaccines for 3 ferrets
60Ferrets = Gas one way
4 Ferrets = Business Cards (3 sets)
60Ferrets= Gas to go home
91 Ferrets = Cash to cover ever thing else like food, tolls, next year’s ticket, ect.
This equals 300 ferrets and the ferret countdown is now to 298.
Yes, this is a very high goal but as each day disappears and Blog Paws gets closer the more it will seem like it is well worth the effort to me.
You have the choice of for the head, tail, and underbelly. Unless it is a Rainbow or Angel ferret as those are always white.
Right now, the hotel is top priority as the rates go up April 22. All ferrets like Hearts except Angel are $10 and Angel is $16.
Don't want OTRB Angel then let me know which body you would like Angelfied for the same price as Angel.
These are the available bodies (mind it may take a few minutes for the pictures to load)
 

You can email me at enlightenedferret@hotmail.com about the one(s) you want to adopt and I will send you the adoption information to pay through PayPal.
I will hand deliver if you are going to be at Blog Paws otherwise there is a $6 transportation fee for the US and $25 for International.
In addition, if you have a specific pattern you would like your ferret to be made out of you can email me at the above address and I will give you the information on how to get your own custom ferret.

Have a Chittering Good Day,

Jo

And We’re Back!

The last month and a half have been nerve racking to say the least. Roomie has been in and out of the hospital. Thankfully she is okay although some unknown medical issues were brought to light and are now being monitored correctly and closely.
Then we lost our domain name for the month of February thanks to G changing their policies and the way you access things. Tried to get a real voice at the other end of the line and that never happened nor did they respond to tweets, Facebook messaging , or emails guess we weren’t that important to them. So, we called the original provider that sold us our domain name and not only did we connect the first time to a real person but they explained exactly what we had to do to reinstate it. That meant waiting until it came back to them. We ended up calling a couple days too early and got a great person by the name of Ali who not only helped us but also sent us an email with all the instructions we would have to do along with his direct line.
So, while we had to pay more for the domain name it is now ours and we won’t have this issue again as we are set up with enom.com wonderful people I can’t stress enough how much they eased my fear of losing another domain name. So if you decide that you want to take your blog to the next level and own a domain name for it I highly recommend setting up an account with them tell them Informedferret sent you.
Blog Paws is just around the corner and while it is still sort of up in the air as to if we can attend I have come up with a possible way of doing so thanks to a chapter in the book I am reading “Soar …If You Dare” by James R. Ball.
I am selling ferrets….stuffed ferrets not my guys. The goal will be to sell 300 of them. I normally sell them on my Etsy site for $20 each plus shipping.  (example only)
Although the Angel goes for $22 but as a special offer to my blog readers and those that want to help I am selling them for $10 each and if you will be at Blog Paws I will hand deliver them otherwise there is a $6 shipping fee for US and unfortunately international shipping is expensive and would be $25.
This does not include the Angel ferret but if you wish to own that one, instead I will sell it for $16. This offer is only good until May 3 after that they all go back to being $20 and $22.
Rainbow ferrets are always white

All others you have the choice of Black, White, Brown, Tan
I also have a few that I will post that are not in the material line up.
  Just a sample of the NFL I have ask to see if I have your team.
Now how to order you can either post the ferret(s) you want in the comment section with an email addy or you can leave me a message on my Facebook page Enlightened Ferret Fashions. I hope you will help us get to Blog Paws and own a very special little ferret of your own. You can also email me your choice(s) at enlightenedferret@hotmail.com and I will reply with how to buy your ferret.

Note: These are not toys as the eyes are sewn on.
Have a Chittering Good Day,
Jo and the crew.

Marcuz’s Grand Adventure: AKA Heart Stopping Fear

Yesterday was a day of highs and lows and one very prolonged heart attack. I cannot stress the need for ferret proofing and being observant of your environment. Yesterday was Monday and I had to get up early to go to job training down in Butler, Pa.

That meant I had to get up at 6am to get everyone feed, watered, and rotated. Now the room where Boyd the cat normally resides is being remodeled along with the roof being done on that side so he and I are residing in the ferret’s room.

During the day, the ferrets are out of their cage and at night, Boyd gets out of his crate to roam the hallway and the room. Boyd has a bad habit. He scratches at the window screen and nothing has stopped him from doing it. What I didn’t realize was that he had actually put a hole in the screen, which wouldn’t had been a problem if I had seen it before I left for my training that lasted from 8am to 5pm

I get home around 5:30pm and go upstairs to get out of my jeans and take my knee brace off entering the room I noticed that several things are out of place on the windowsill and then I see the six-inch long hole. Panic sets in and I start looking for my fur kids. Sleeping in a bin is Manny and Marylin.

As you can see from the pictures, I tore the room apart looking for Marcuz.

Looking out the window cold fear starts to develop as I realize that Marcuz had to have gone through the hole and out onto the roof. Racing down the stairs, I grab Manny’s harness and a leash speeding through the living room roomie asks what is wrong but the lump in my throat won’t let me speak so I just wave her off.

Stopping on the porch, I peer around the corner afraid to find a tiny broken body. There is none so the cold fear starts to receded and the panic starts to take over again. I can’t call for Marcuz as he is deaf and wouldn’t hear me. After checking around the outside of the house I go back in and get my voice to work long enough to tell Roomie that Marcuz has to be outside somewhere.

To which she tells me that Mr.. Z had been going ballistic earlier in the day and she thought someone had been knocking at the door but when she checked there was no one there but Mr.. Z laid on the floor and stared outside. Roomie thought it might have been the stray cat that comes around or the dog from across the street.

Back upstairs to make sure I hadn’t over looked one of Marcuz’s hidey-holes. I hadn’t so back down the stairs and Mr.. Z and roomie are outside checking out things. Mr.. Z seems to be on the trail of something but what it was unknown and didn’t seem to be Marcuz. Thankfully, our neighbors are good and they put their own dogs inside or in the dog’s kennel.

This weekend was the community day yard sale and I hadn’t gotten all the boxes back inside so before getting off the porch for the third or fourth time I shook each box in hopes of noticing a weight difference or having Marcuz pop out of one.

Around the block, checking the tree Marcuz loves to dig at when we go for cool evening walks to the back yard where the Ferret Chariot is parked. Roomie says to check under the garage. It is kind of dark under there so I start to go inside to get the flashlight when I hear something on the porch. I stop and look to where the sound is coming from and from behind the board leaning against the wide railing comes this grayish pink nose.

Marcuz’ white first is dusky grey and he smells of dirt but he is perfectly fine. Did he drop from the roof to the ground? Or did he get down to the gutter and follow it around to where the plastic was stapled to the roof and used it as a rope to get down? Or did he somehow figure out how to go down the ladder? I have no answers but there is not a mark on Marcuz.

I am sure that my neighbors finally have proof that I am the crazy ferret lady after this adventure. Taking Marcuz back up to the room I secured the window and took his access to it away before letting him loose and what does the little booger do? He starts weasel war dancing around the room with this look of pure delight.

My nerves are still shot and my chest hurts from where my heart was pounding on it but thankfully, Marcuz has been found uninjured and unfazed.

Moral of the story: ALWAYS CHECK! Ferret proofing isn’t a onetime thing and needs to be constantly updated.

Have a Safe and Chittering Good Day,

Jo

Ferret Fashion Show

I don’t know how many of you know that I design ferret clothing for my boys and for other ferrets. To date I have made everyday shirts, tuxedos, dresses, and even designed military BDU’s better known as fatigues.

View Full Album

I’ve been marketing these on Etsy and been auctioning several different outfits off on Fabulous Ferret Finds Auction page on Facebook. Which has begun to earn me a little money but thanks to this endeavor, I have come to the attention of several different outlets.

One of these outlets is hooked on the idea of a Ferret Fashion Show. I would love to help a shelter or rescue by creating several fashions that would be shown off by the shelter ferrets and then could be auctioned off with all the proceeds going to the shelter.

I am just not sure where to start other than asking first off what do you think of this idea?

2. Would this be something you would be interested in doing?

3. While I am thinking Western PA because it is close to where I live, other places would be fine too.

I would have Manny and Marcuz as part of the show and they would show up in the Ferret Chariot   along with some other surprises.

If this is something you would like to be a part of. Please contact me either by the comment box or slide me an email at enlightenedferret@hotmail.com

Have a Chittering Good Day,

Jo

Be the Change for Animals : Flying Ferrets

ac·tiv·ist –noun

1. an especially active, vigorous advocate of a cause, esp. a political cause.

–adjective

2. of or pertaining to activism or activists: an activist organization for environmental concern.

3. advocating or opposing a cause or issue vigorously, esp. a political cause: Activist opponents of the President picketed the White House.

     Until this last week I didn’t see myself as an activist but someone that helped further a cause that was already started.

     That changed when I tried to find an airline that would allow my two ferrets to travel with me. What a surprise I got. I was told that they could fly but in the cargo hold of the plane and each sent me to the section of their websites that stated what animals could fly in the cabin with their owners.

     Almost every one of the airlines I contacted policy pages stated “In cabin pets allowed” are dogs, cats, birds, and guinea pigs and in some cases rabbits. There are pet carrier requirements that needed to be met but each and every time I asked about ferrets I was told they weren’t allowed in the cabin and was not given any reason why.

      I find it offensive that my two sweet boys are suppose to be locked in a dark box and tossed into the roaring abyss called the cargo hold because someone decided that these are evil little creatures. I might as well tossed James and Manny into the trunk of the car the way most airlines are thinking it would be the same result.

     Do the powers that be at these airlines think they are going to get loose and become terrifying creatures? Anyone that has read my blog knows that yes they have their quirks but ferrets can travel well if their owners set things up right.

     I am sure many would say that us ferret owners probably complained about the pet fee for the right to fly with our pets. I will say that some pet fees seem a bit excessive but pet owners are willing to pay for their pets in most cases.

     So my mission is now is to get at least two other airlines to change their policies either back to what it was or to allow ferrets in the cabin. I hope that you will help by writing letters to your choice of airlines from the short list below.

Delta Air Lines, Inc.
P.O. Box 20706
Atlanta, Georgia 30320-6001

Southwest Airlines
P.O. Box 36647 - 1CR
Dallas, Texas 75235-1647

Continental Airlines
P.O. Box 4607
Houston, Texas 77210-4607
United States

US Airways

Corporate headquarters:
111 W. Rio Salado Parkway
Tempe, AZ 85281

     After all the disappointments I had received I was happily surprised when I contacted Frontier Air and found out that they allow ferrets in the cabin and their pet fee was reasonable.

     The best part was they fly out of my closest airport and to the places I want to go in the coming months.

     I hope that these other airlines follow suit and begin allowing us misunderstood ferret owners to fly with our critters in the cabin.

     Opinions, comments, and statements are welcomed

Jo