Nomadic Life with Pets

I know it has been awhile since our last update and for that I am sorry. Things don't always go as planned but most of the time it has been surprisingly happy mishaps.

Since the last post we have traveled to Kentucky back to PA and then to Ohio and landed back in Kentucky for a bit. After the last day of work in Eau Claire, PA the crew and I headed to Kentucky to see my friend C. It was nice to see him and just catch up with him.

C has rats named Fred and George so there was some trepidation about the cats being inside the house but after a close call in the van, the cats were slowly introduced to Fred and George and there was no issues at all.

Nope I didn't hold them as chisel teeth and I don't mix well. Fred is the darker one. They are cute and make C smile.

After two weeks I made the trek back to PA to pick up some mail and spent the month hanging out at the local park in Grove City and boondocking between Wal*Mart and the TA. Boondocking is dry camping in a parking lot. Wal*Mart allows you one night in their parking lot and then you have to be gone for 24 hrs before you can do it again. The TA is a truck stop so overnighters are normal there.

The park was great because at the front of the park was a pavilion that had free wifi so I was able to stay in touch with friends and family...at least until my computer decided it was going to have some problems staying on. Typing on a smart phone can be difficult as the keyboard is small and even with my small hands I often hit the wrong button.

At the back of the park away from the crowds was pavilions that had outlets so I was able to do my sewing and stock up my inventory of ferret clothing and other items to sell. So my day was get up and go to the park after feeding and watering the crew and if I had enough change I'd get a coffee from Sheetz for a $1.00.

Believe me rewards cards are great. Once you get ten cups of coffee or soda you get a free one from Sheetz along with three cents off of gas.

Spend an hour online checking emails and conversing on Face Book, occasionally updating my GoFundMe campaign then to the back of the park where I would set up the playpen for Marcuz and Marylin inside the pavilion  
 and at first the cats would go in their crate since they had the run of the van at night. But after I started getting them use to being on leashes I was able to make a small run from the pavilion to the van, which Boyd thought was great as he prefers to hang out in the van and come out on his own terms. Dood on the other hand thinks he is a dog and will run back and forth while learning some tricks for a treat.

                              Boyd has the white paws. Hanging out in Wal*Mart's parking lot.

Don't let anyone ever tell you that this life is glamorous it has it's moments but there are days when everything just goes wrong and I had one of those days. It was a tuesday and nothing went right from the computer shutting off seconds after it loaded up, the phone acting up, it raining so badly that I couldn't sew, ate half cooked zucchini since I couldn't keep my fire going long enough to get the water to stay boiling. Boondocked at Wal*Mart routine was to walk the ferrets, then Dood, and lastly Boyd. I put my phone, keys down on the floor board just inside the door and took Boyd out closed the door and we went for our walk. once back at the van Dood came over and locked the door. Yep he stepped on the lock, normally he unlocks the door. I tried to get him to come back and unlock the door to no avail. 

The driver's side door wasn't closed all the way but I had nothing long enough to hit the button to unlock the door. Two girls came and tried to get the door open as well. At one point I must have leaned just enough on the door to shut it the rest of the way. The stress of the day came to a head at that moment as the frustration welled out and the tears flowed down my face.

Those two girls stayed helping me find a way to open the van at one point one of them went and found two guys and a girl in jacked up truck. It was them that got the van opened using a fence post and an antenna to hit the button. Needless to say that one set of keys is always attached to my hip now so that will never happen again.

Then thanks to the generosity of two very awesome ladies I was able to go to the Ferret Buckeye Bash, which is considered the largest ferret show on the east coast, as a vendor. These same two ladies made sure I had a place to stay for two nights and the crew loved being in a hotel room with Craig who Boyd decided to adopt as his human for the time period. 

My table at the Ferret Buckeye Bash.

I had a lot of fun again and got to meet Travis Livieri in person. I interviewed him via email back in 2009 regarding the Black-Footed Ferret when I first started this blog.

After the Bash the crew and I have landed once more in Kentucky at C's and the crew got a vacation from us as we went camping, a neighbor pet sat for us. The trip was suppose to be for two nights but rain dropped it to one night.

We were going to hike a trail that was 13 miles one way but after hacking for 4 hours to make it only 2.5 miles and not being able to see the trail markers we returned to camp. Which was a good thing for me as my feet were covered in what are called seed ticks. These things look like strawberry seeds and are tenacious about hanging on. Thankfully C had a scrapper and knew what I needed to do to get rid of them. Only problem I've had is that my psoriasis has flared so badly that is has shown up on my legs which it has never done before but at the same time I am wondering if maybe I brushed up against some poison ivy and when I took my shower I spread the oils. Either way I am scratching badly.

So that is where we are at now. I am running low on ferret food and at the moment no one is buying anything on the auction site that I have some items listed on. We also need some gas money so we can get headed west to Oklahoma where I am hoping to meet up with my dad for a bit and help him out somehow on the apartments he owns there. I owe him a lot since he did buy me the van so I would at least have a roof over our heads.

The plan after that is to head towards AZ where I plan to find a place for the crew and I to land, but as I said plans can change quickly in the nomadic life.


Have a Chittering Good Day,

Jo and the Crew

New Adventures Await

For those that follow us on Facebook you already know what adventure I am talking about but for those that don’t know. As of June 30th the kids and I will be Home Free.

We will be living a non traditional life as nomads in a van until I am able to get us back into a non moving home if that should be the case. I should say that I am not one to do much of anything traditionally but this is even new for me.

The van or Ferret Chariot 2 is pretty much outfitted for travel and pets it seems as all of the normal places a pet might try to hide has been closed off. 

So I will be putting into long term use the knowledge I have gained over the years of traveling to Blog Paws and who knows maybe this will add a different dimension to the blog.

I do know that Marcuz and Marylin will be updating their travel blog on Facebook more often now.

If you would like to donate towards us either getting a solid home or just some gas money you can do it one of two ways. You can donate using the donation button here on the blog or you can donate through the Go Fund Campaign.

I have a week of work coming up and then we will be headed to Kentucky to see a friend or two before heading towards D.C. Want us to stop and see you leave a comment below. Sorry we can’t come to California.

Jo

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:

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

Pet Blogger's Challenge Repeat offender *chitters*

1. How long have you been blogging? Please tell us why you started blogging, and, for anyone stopping by for the first time, give us a quick description of what your blog is about. I’ve been blogging since 2009 and here is last year’s post.

2. Name one thing about your blog, or one blogging goal that you accomplished during 2013, that made you most proud. I’ve gotten to work with a few companies that I wanted to work with but I didn’t meet most of my goals last year.

3. When you look at the post you wrote for last year’s Pet Blogger Challenge, or just think back over the past year, what about blogging has changed the most for you? That I need to make realistic goals that I can manage now that I am back to working outside the home

4. What lessons have you learned this year – from other blogs, or through your own experience – that could help us all with our own sites? Don’t get stuck in concrete. I mean if you need to take a break do so but at the same time don’t burnout rule you.

If you could ask the pet blogging community for help with one challenge you’re having with your blog, what would it be? More followers/comments. I set a really high goal of 400 readers and then fell off the face of the Blogosphere. But not getting one comment can put a damper on things too. Just a simple “Hi” is all that is needed sometimes.

5. What have you found to be the best ways to bring more traffic to your blog, other than by writing great content? Word of mouth mostly

6. How much time to do you spend publicizing your blog, and do you think you should spend more or less in the coming year? Last year I didn’t do a lot of publicizing my blog and it showed so this year I will be publicizing it more.

7. How do you gauge whether or not what you’re writing is appealing to your audience? I try not to gauge my writing as I tend to get overly critical about it and then I don’t post anything.

How do you know when it’s time to let go of a feature or theme that you’ve been writing about for a while? That is the hardest thing to do. I try to keep with what is current and write updates as they are needed.

8. When you’re visiting other blogs, what inspires you to comment on a post rather than just reading and moving on? It depends on the post and the reason I am reading it. Sometimes it is because someone left a comment on my blog so I let them know I followed their link back to their blog. Other times the subject means a lot to me or I have learned something new.

9. Do you do product reviews and/or giveaways? Yes

If so, what do you find works best, and what doesn’t work at all? I stay away from Raffelcopter as it has too many glitches for my liking and all reviews are my opinion no matter what the outcome. But I need to get several more done that should have been done last year.

If not, is this something you’d like to do more of? What hurdle is getting in your way?

10. When writer’s block strikes and you’re feeling dog-tired, how do you recharge? Last year I had writer’s block and blog burnout not a good combination as I couldn’t seem to pull myself out of it that is until November when I do this thing called Nanowrimo. Where you have to write 50,000 words. I used word association and basically jump started several blog posts that will be showing up this year. Another thing I use is a site called write or die a great motivator.

11. Have you ever taken a break from your blog? How did that go? Yes, I did last year and I felt like I was letting my readers down

Have you ever thought about quitting your blog altogether? What makes you stay? Yes last year I really thought about it. The fact is that there really isn’t any other ferret bloggers.

12. What goals do you have for your blog in 2014?

To post at least one real post a week and one wordless Wednesday post. To reach 100 followers and to let my personal life show through many of my posts this year.

Have a Chittering Good Day,

Jo

Happy National Ferret Day.

 

April 2^nd was dedicated to helping others recognize the growing ferret community by educating others in the welfare of ferrets. With that said we are proud to update you on the progress of an amazing little ferret girl named Grace.

If you haven’t read Grace’s story you can do so here, but be forewarned that the picture is disturbing.

Not only has Grace survived she is improving each day. She is now eating a little on her own and her blood work is showing improvement but the biggest improvement is her weight gain. While she is still very underweight, she is regaining her strength along with the weight gain.

Photo from Washington Metro Area Ferret Outreach Facebook page.

This little girl has earned a huge following of people who have reached out to help her get well. Enlightened Ferret is proud to be a part of that by creating a special Ferret WarmUp Jacket named for her.

For each one sold 50% of the sale will go to Amazing Grace.

If you would like to help Grace, you can do so by donating to the Washington Metro Area Ferret Outreach 

and put for Grace in the note.

This little girl may not have known love in her past but now that is all she knows.

Have a Chittering Good Day,

Jo

The Real Pet blog challenge: Repeat Offenders

 

Thanks to a comment left on my Monday post I was directed to the right link for the Pet Blog Challenge and was able to get the correct questions to answer.

While this is only my second year doing the challenge I have found that doing both posts I’ve percolated my goals down into something very obtainable. So onward to the post

1. How long have you been blogging and provide a link to your post from last year’s Pet Blogger Challenge so we can refresh our memories.

I’ve been blogging since 2009 and here is last years post.

2. What do you consider the most important goals you set out in last year’s post?

Acquiring more followers and doing interviews with people about ferrets

3. Have you made progress toward those goals, or have your goals changed over the past year?

Yes, I have made some progress with getting more followers but not the full hundred I wanted. As for the interviews, I got them but it wasn’t me doing the interviewing it was the other way around. A completely new adventure for me.

4. How often do you post?

I try for three times a week but it seems that towards the end of the year I slow down to only a few posts a month.

5. Has your opinion of blogging on a schedule or as the spirit moves you changed? I think that my opinion is basically the same but how I go about it is changing as I learn more about myself and where I want to take Enlightened Ferret.

If you publish on a schedule why? I find that having a schedule lessens the amount of stress I am under but it also makes me feel boxed in at the same time.

How strict are you about your publishing deadlines? I allow for a little give way but find that if I miss a deadline I feel like I’ve let myself down.

What do you do for inspiration when it feels like you’ve covered every topic? I ask people what they would like to know on some of the social media sites and sometimes I revisit past posts and rewrite them.

If you don’t publish on a schedule, why?

How do you think your decision affects your audience? I am not sure how it affects my readers.

How do you know when a topic is “post-worthy?” Most of the time “post-worthy” topics are the ones I feel new ferret owners need to know or strikes a chord within me.

6. How much time do you spend writing your blog per week? Depends on the topic and how much research I need to do on the topic. Can range anywhere from twenty minutes to three days or more.

How much time visiting other blogs? This is where I feel like I need to improve as I don’t spend a lot of time reading other blogs.

Share your tips for staying on top of it all. Having an editorial calendar with a keyword listed for the day helps along with keeping a list of what “special” day/month might be happening and making a list of topics that are related to that event and ferrets.

7. How do you measure the success of a post and of your blog in general (comments, shares, traffic)? I have Google ad sense and it shows me the number of page views as I don’t often get many comments. The other thing is when I met people and they tell me about a blog post they’ve read and it just happens to be my blog.

Do you look strictly at the numbers, or do you have a way of assessing the quality of those interactions? I think I for the most part still in the mindset that I am blogging just to get the information out there and to educate people. Therefore, the numbers while nice don’t have a huge impact on me.

8. If you could ask the pet blogging community for help with one issue you’re having with your blog, what would it be? Getting more feedback.

9. What goals do you have for your blog in 2013?

To have 400 followers by the end of the year.

To open communication with companies that mostly with dogs and cats and show them another animal that might benefit from the products/services they offer.

To earn an income that would take care of my ferrets comfortably.

To move Enlightened Ferret from blogger to my own hosted site.

Have a Chittering Good Day,

Jo

Pet Blog Challenge 2013

Last year was the first year we participated in this challenge hosted by Go Pet Friendly and Will My Dog Hate Me  and participating in this challenge this year will  help us focus on where Enlightened Ferret is headed this year.

I couldn’t find if they were doing the challenge this year so I’ve used the questions from last year’s challenge and updated my answers for this year. Here is the link to last year’s post. Pet Blog Challenge 2012

1. When did you begin your blog?

June of 2009

2. What was your original purpose for starting a blog?

To help others understand ferrets and help new or prospective owners understand what having a ferret entailed.

3. Is your current purpose the same? Yes, it is still the main focus along with other aspects of being a ferret owner in a populace of mostly dog and cat owners.

If so, how do you feel you’ve met your goals?

Until last year, I hadn’t really set any goals for Enlightened Ferret. But thanks to doing, this challenge last year I feel that I have met most of my goals for Enlightened Ferret and it has opened the door for other opportunities to help promote Enlightened Ferret.

4. Do you blog on a schedule or as the spirit moves you?

Blogging on a set schedule is hard and sometimes life does get in the way of doing so. But having a few guest posts helps relieve the stress of blogging every time.

If the former, how often — and what techniques do you use to stick to it?

I am trying to use an editorial calendar more so that I have specific posts written for Mondays and Fridays to help eliminate the stress of worrying what to write about. Wednesdays are still reserved for Wordless posts. Last year I tried to have Featured ferrets on Tuesdays and Thursdays but found those to be over whelming and depressing as many of those same ferrets are still looking for forever homes.

5. Are you generating income from your blog?

I have earned some revenue from Enlightened Ferret this last year but not a steady income.

If not currently, do you hope to in the future — and how?

I still have mixed emotions on this. While I do want to have an income from Enlightened Ferret that will allow me to do the things I want to. I don’t want to have ads that are unrelated to Enlightened Ferret’s mission.

6. What do you like most about blogging in general and your blog in particular (bragging is good!)?

I enjoy doing the research for each post I do and hearing from people that have found Enlightened Ferret either by accident or followed a link back from twitter, Facebook, or Linked In.

7. What do you like least?

Self promotion. I am normally very shy and it is really hard to come out of my shell and let other see the passion I have for ferrets.

8. How do you see your blog changing/growing in 2013?

I would love to see Enlightened Ferret gain 400 new followers by the end of 2013 and drawing the attention of companies that cater more to the dog and cat owners and showing them another avenue they might look at for revenue. I also plan on replying to more of the comments than I have been.

I also hope to move Enlightened Ferret from Blogger to its own webpage in 2013.

Hope you will all participate in this challenge this year and see how you do in the coming year.

Have a Chittering Good Day,

Jo

Guest Post: A Ferret's Five Welfare Needs

 

Ferrets are inquisitive animals that require considerable attention and care. If they are regularly handled by humans from a young age, they can form strong bonds with their owners and become as good a companion as a cat or a dog. Ferrets display a range of playful behaviours and this renders them a fun pet to have around the house. If well cared for, they can live as long as ten years. However, their average lifespan is around six years.

When ferrets are not adequately cared for, they suffer from boredom. This can result in a variety of physical and psychological problems.

Understanding the Needs of Ferrets
Ferrets are domesticated mammals. Wild European and Steppe polecats are likely to be their ancient ancestors. However, since no wild counterpart is believed to exist, scientists are still finding out about ferrets' habitats, behaviours and needs.

Owning a Ferret
Looking after a ferret is highly satisfying and can bring with it many treasured memories. However, ferret ownership can also prove a challenge. The long-term commitment associated with ferret ownership is not to be underestimated and this is particularly true of the financial cost. Anyone who owns or is responsible for a ferret, even temporarily, is required by law to adequately care for the animal by ensuring that its five welfare needs are met. These responsibilities are detailed under the Animal Welfare Act, which was introduced in England and Wales in 2007.

A Ferret's Five Welfare Needs
No two ferrets are the same and for this reason, there is no ideal way in which to look after this animal. While one ferret owner’s circumstances may differ greatly to those of another, an owner must ensure that their ferret’s five essential needs are met. The way in which these needs are met may vary. However, all ferret owners must take reasonable action to ensure that they provide their animals with
• a suitable place in which to live;
• a nutritious diet and uninhibited access to clean water;
• the chance to behave as they normally would;
• the chance to seek out appropriate company;
• protection against, and treatment for, pain, injury, suffering and disease.

Disclaimer: This is a compensated post and does not necessarily reflect the opinions of Enlightened Ferret. It is also from the stand point of those that own ferrets in the United Kingdom and the post does have UK spelling.

Have a Chittering Good Day,

Jo

Updated 7/16/14: Removal of dead links

Traveling with Ferrets

In a few weeks the boys and I will be headed out west to Utah and the annual Blog Paws Conference. This will be my 3^rd Blog Paws and the boy’s second one. We will be driving almost two thousand miles as ferrets aren’t allowed in the cabin of any airlines and I will not put my boys in cargo.

Which is why we are driving and thanks to a lot of help from some awesome folks on twitter we will be traveling in style. The Ferret Chariot will be set up for traveling with ferrets not a small task in itself.

Because ferrets are curious little critters you can’t let them run free in a vehicle as they will find a way under the dash and find the one hole they can get through and will either end up in the engine compartment or worse on the road in the middle of traffic.

So the first thing you need is a crate or carrier for the ferret. The size depends on how much traveling you will be doing with your ferret. As I tend to take my boys as many places as I can and often that includes long distance trips I have a medium dog carrier that I use. It is big enough to hold a small litter pan, their hammock, and the door supports their food dish and water bottle. I also put a dollar store rug on the bottom of the carrier to give them something to curl up on if they don’t want in the hammock.

I seat belt the carrier so that the door of the carrier is pointing towards the vehicle door for easy access. In the case of the van the carrier will be pointing forward on the long bench seat.

Packing for the boys Mind you their suitcase can be bigger than mine depending on how long of a trip it will be. Short day trips only require a bottle of water, their harnesses and leashes, poop bags, and maybe a couple of treats.

For this cross country trip the requirements are a bit different.

Leashes	Harnesses	Puppy Pads
poop bags	food	A gallon Jug of water from home
A few toys	playpen	Health Certificates
Rabies tags	Groom kit	First aid kit
Information kit	Treats	Hand Sanitizer
Trash bags	litter	disposable foil baking dish
food/water dishes	Photo Id’s	List of Ferret Vets along route
freezer cooler packs	The Mini Ferret Chariot	Ferret Backpack
a few outfits

 

I am pretty sure I am forgetting something but as you can see it isn’t a short list. What’s in my suitcase?

Clothes	Groom kit	Journalism bag
Business Cards	shoes	coffee cup

 

As you can see it is a much shorter list. Traveling with ferrets isn’t for the faint of heart as you have to keep an eye on temperatures both inside and outside of the vehicle. Ferrets don’t do well with temps over 68-78 degrees.

When taking breaks be respectful of the rest stop and use the areas marked for pets and even though ferret poop isn’t that large I still set an example and pick it up and dispose of it properly. Be aware of who is around and any other pets.

Some dogs will chase anything that moves and neither of my boys knows to be scared of dogs or cats as they have both at home. Also watch for children that might come running up to pet the neat/weird animal. Some parents have never taught their children to be respectful of others and will touch without asking. I have a strict policy of picking up my boys off the ground and holding them to me and asking them certain questions before sending them off to have their parents come talk to me about them petting the boys.

This does two things it keeps my boys safe from being mauled and keeps the child from getting bit because they have something yummy smelling on their hands. It also gives the parents a chance to come talk to me about my strange critters. This is where the hand sanitizer comes in no matter how much a child says they have washed their hands some don’t do it.

To be continued…

Have a Chittering Good Day,

Jo

Ferret Proofing 101

 

For those that haven’t read the previous ferret proofing post it is here .

Ferrets are notorious for getting into places they don’t belong. I already covered about couches, recliners, and wheel chairs. Other places ferrets can get into are dryers, refrigerators, and the stove. I know that many people let their ferrets be free roamers throughout their house but I would be a major basket case wondering where my boys were if I let them be free roamers.

  

They can also end up in the washing machine if you don’t check to make sure your little fuzzy isn’t taking a nap in the hamper or laundry basket.

Ferrets are smart and can disconnect the dryer vent hose and escape to the great outdoors. Once outside they will embark on a merry adventure until a hawk or other predator sees them. They won’t know how to get back home either as they are not blood hounds.

Many ferrets in shelters, rescues, and humane societies have been found alongside the road, under decks, or just wandering around. For this reason it might be a good idea to have your ferret micro chipped.

Cabinets are another place ferrets are great at getting into or behind and if there is a gap under them that is where a ferret will go. Imagine your surprise when you go to take out that pot for making spaghetti and inside it is a sleeping ferret.

  

Or you can see a paw sticking out from under the cabinet but for whatever reason the ferret can’t figure out how to get out from underneath it. Believe me it has happened to many ferret owners at least once. Sometimes all it takes is a whiff of Ferretone or a special treat to get them out but other times it takes some muscle to lift the cabinet while someone else grabs the ferret and drags them out.

I am glad most of my cabinetry is on wheels for that very reason and again my boys are only allowed in one room of the house.

Next time I will talk about ferret proofing while traveling with the fuzzy butts.

Disclosure: The photos are not mine and are linked back to the sites they have come from except for the pot and drawer one.

Have a Chittering Good Day,

Jo

Not So Wordless Wednesday

 

The weekend before Valentine’s Day Marcuz got hurt. Which would not have been a problem except I didn’t have transportation to the vet’s and relying on friends doesn’t always mean you will get the result you want.

So I am reaching out to those in the Anipal community to help Enlightened Ferret get a vehicle. The ideal one would be a Dodge® Caravan.

Every donor will have the choice of having their name or twitter name placed on the vehicle. The finished painted vehicle will be featured in a thank you blog post with links to everyone’s blog or business page.

Finally we would give a ride to two lucky donors and their pets to Blog Paws 2012. Who are along our route which will be Interstate 80 from Western Pennsylvania to the hotel in Salt Lake City, Utah and back.

Once at Blog Paws another photo will be taken with those attending and the supported vehicle.

Thank you for your support.

 

and as always have a Chittering Good Day,

 

Jo

Pet Blogger’s Challenge 2012

This is our first time in taking part of this challenge hosted by Go Pet Friendly and Will My Dog Hate Me This challenge is to help focus where we want to go in the coming year.

1. When did you begin your blog?

June of 2009

2. What was your original purpose for starting a blog?

To help others understand ferrets and help new or prospective owners understand what having a ferret entailed.

3. Is your current purpose the same?

Yes but it is a lot more in depth that I originally had it.

If so, how do you feel you’ve met your goals?

I hadn’t set any kind of goals really with my blog. But I do feel that it has helped some people learn more about ferrets.


4. Do you blog on a schedule or as the spirit moves you?

I try to blog on a schedule but sometimes life gets in the way.
If the former, how often — and what techniques do you use to stick to it?

I am trying to blog Monday thru Friday. By only having two informational posts, two featured ferret posts, and the wordless Wednesday posts I have found that I am able to keep up with my posting schedule.

5. Are you generating income from your blog?

Not at this time.

If not currently, do you hope to in the future — and how? I have mixed thoughts on this. While I would like to have an income from my blog I don’t want to fill it up with a bunch of ads either. I want to put the ads where I want on my blog and not where someone else dictates.

6. What do you like most about blogging in general and your blog in particular (bragging is good!)?

I like doing the research into some of the more unusual aspects of owning a ferret. One of my favorite posts is about heartworms. While it is a horrible parasite it was interesting to find that ferrets can be affected by them. If that post helps just one pet owner then I am happy.

7. What do you like least?

Trying to do the hmtl on blogger. The program I used to use doesn’t work anymore with my new laptop so have to do all my posts by hand.

8. How do you see your blog changing/growing in 2012?

By gaining more followers and getting the attention of sponsors and other companies looking to get some face time.

I also see Enlightened Ferret being at BlogPaws and Bark World Expo this year.
I would love to do some interviews with people that have dealt with the different aspects of ferrets.

I would also like to see Manny and Marcuz’ facebook page Enlightened Ferret Travels gain in popularity and maybe even attract the notice of a travel related company willing to have ferrets as their spokes pet.

Have a Chittering Good Day,

Jo

Peek A Boo… I see you! Pet Finder's Less Adoptable Pet's Week

 

Well I guess having a name is better than a number but really what kind of name is Peek A Boo   for a boy?

So I can only say that I am playing the game Peek-A-Boo for now in Pittsburgh, PA and I would really like a good boy’s name along with a forever home.

I know there isn’t much about me okay there isn’t anything about me on the site and my picture isn’t the best.

I am sure all you ferret hooman recognize the maneuver that I am doing. Hey when ya gotta go ya gotta go.

So are you the hooman for me to play great games with like hide the sock, where’s the carpet shark, and hide and seek? I promise I’ll let you win once in awhile and reward you with lots of ferrety kisses.

I’ll also entertain you with my special weasel war dance moves that are designed to make you laugh.

If you or someone you know is looking for a special little boy to love in or around the Pittsburgh area won’t you let them know about me?

Thanks

Disclosure: I get no compensation for featuring ferrets on my blog from Pet Finder or the shelter that has the featured ferret.

The commentary from the point of view of each ferret is my own take on the information given or not given depending on the shelter, rescue, or society and should not be taken seriously unless noted in a note or the disclosure.

Have a Chittering Good Day,

Jo

Pet Finder Less Adoptable Pet Week: A Girl For All Seasons

Hi My name is Summer   and I am a 2 year old Dark Eyed White (DEW) girl. Right now I am calling New Arlington, NJ home until we can find the right forever hooman for me.

You see I need to find just the right hooman this time cause my first hooman spoiled me wif all these yummy sweet snacks and now I have something called Insulinoma. Once I was diagnosed wif this my first hooman took me to diz scary place called Animal Control and left me there.

I was lucky there was this really nice man there took the time to find my foster hooman’s place and she came and got me right away and while I love my foster hooman we both know I would be better off with just the right hooman of my own.

I have a sunny personality and a need for medication everyday for the rest of my life. So the perfect hooman for me knows about insulinoma and knows how to test my blood sugar so that I have a good record for the vet.

This hooman will also know how to give me my medication everyday and won’t be tricked into giving me those yummy snacks I crave.

I maybe little and have a medical condition but I have a lot of love to give to the perfect hooman. Are you that hooman?

Note: Summer is most likely on Prednisone and will need vet care more often than a ferret without insulinoma.

While Prednisone isn’t expensive finding a pharmacy that will fill a vet prescription can be time consuming. Ask your vet for a pharmacy they have dealt with before.

Disclosure: I get no compensation for featuring ferrets on my blog from Pet Finder or the shelter that has the featured ferret.

The commentary from the point of view of each ferret is my own take on the information given or not given depending on the shelter, rescue, or society and should not be taken seriously unless noted in a note or the disclosure.

Insulinoma is a type of cancer that can shorten the lives of ferrets. With that said Summer is part of this weeks less adoptable pets because 1. She is a ferret and 2. She is considered special needs. Those two items would make her harder to place with the right person but I know the right one is out there just looking for a fuzzy to love.

Have a Chittering Good Day,

Jo

Pet Finder's Less Adoptable Pet Week: Bennie and the Jet

Hi all I am Jet and my buddy is Ben and he doesn’t talk much.

Sorry there aren’t any cute photos of us just of what our feet looked like when we first came to Ferrets Unlimited Rescue better known as FURS.

Our first hooman abandoned us in an apartment in Windham,OH with an iguana.

We were stuck in our cage for such a long time that we were left standing in feces.

The person who first rescued us though that it was just caked on our feet so bad then when she tried peeling some off of Ben’s feet it left them bleeding.

Ben: It hurt a lot and my feet were really swollen.

Jet: Our first rescuer realized that our care was going to be more than they could handle so they brought us here to these nice people. After being examined it was determined that it wasn’t caked on poop it was these nasty little parasites called Scabies.

Well we were immediately put on antibiotics, inflammatory meds, and pain meds, and daily soaks in a antibacterial soap.

Well Ben got the pain meds because his feet were so bad. Because of this ordeal we weren’t up for adoption until now.

We are recovered from the scabies and we’re told that ferrets don’t get them often so we shouldn’t get them again ever.

I am a bit more out going then Ben here. He is a huge fraidy cat about being out of his cage and likes to find places to hide so he can let his bottle brush tail relax.

So we need a hooman that is understanding of Ben’s fears and help him work through them.

I am a fat boy who is all ferret.

So are you the right hooman for us or know someone gentle, soft spoken, and able to deal with high energy and a trembling ball of fur? Won’t you come check out the adoption process at Ferrets Unlimited and see if we can’t come home with you.

Ben: Please?

Note: Scabies is a parasite that burrows under the skin causing extreme itching and is more common in humans. With the right treatment the reoccurrence is almost never depending on living conditions.

Disclosure: I did pick these two because of the injustice done to them while in the care of an unkind human and the fact that they have survived what had to be a very painful ordeal means they have a lot to give to the right human.

I am getting no compensation other than the fact that I may be able to help them find a forever home.

I get no compensation for featuring ferrets on my blog from Pet Finder or the shelter that has the featured ferret.

The commentary from the point of view of each ferret is my own take on the information given or not given depending on the shelter, rescue, or society and should not be taken seriously unless noted in a note or the disclosure

Please pass the link on about these guys to anyone that might be interested and is the right kind of person to be their new hooman thank you.

Have a Chittering Good Day,

Jo

Pet Finder's Less Adoptable Pet Week: The Juvenile delinquent

 

Yo! I am Riggs   and Iz hanging out here in Stewartville, MN whilez Iz waiting for da right boz to come hire mez. Iz a tough little guy dey found mez hiding out under sum stranger’z deck and somewherez along da way Iz lost one of mez toe nailz. No one knowz if itz gonna grow back or not. Not dat Iz miz it.

Iz young wif dem figuring Iz about 3 yearz of age and I’ve developed Adrenal disease but Iz know wif da right treatment Iz will give a lot of time to da right boz hooman.

Iz good at stealing heartz in a New York minute whilez taking yer wallet at da same time. So if youz think youz can rehabilitate mez from mez bad habitz den give dez nice folkz a call and come see mez.

Disclosure: I get no compensation for featuring ferrets on my blog from Pet Finder or the shelter that has the featured ferret.

The commentary from the point of view of each ferret is my own take on the information given or not given depending on the shelter, rescue, or society and should not be taken seriously unless noted in a note or the disclosure.

Have a Chittering Good Day,

Jo

To those that have enjoyed posting Anomys. those days are over. I am now requireing that you at least have a name that I can respond to if the need should arise.

In references to the pictures that are on this blog this week. I am copying the url from the site its self so if the pictures are stock or owned by someone else I wouldn't know it.

With both things said. I must say that I blog about ferrets because they are my passion and those that have met me in real life know that is the truth. I am not an expert on ferrets just an owner that loves doing research to gain more knowledge that can be passed on to other.
I do reviews on different things and the opinions are always my own and at this time I get no monetary compensation for anything that is on my blog unless otherwise noted.

Pet Finder's Less Adoptable Pet Week: A Star in the Making

Hello Darlings I am Marilyn   from Missoula, MT and no there is no relation to Monroe that I know of.

I am considered one of the less adoptable pets by many because of my long sleek body and my pointed nose.

But then they do say that beauty is in the eye of the beholder and I am looking for the right hooman to be my personal assistant.

Just like Monroe I am a beautiful girl with one little flaw my tail has lost its hair but I am sure with the right treatment from a specialist it will grow back to match my fur coat.

Won’t you help me land the role of a lifetime: Queen of Hooman’s Heart? I am not a prima Dona I love cardboard boxes of all kinds and any bag that crinkles.

I’ll eat almost any snack as long as I get plenty of exercise to run off the calories. Okay I am very particular about where I sleep but then a star has to have her beauty rest.

Won’t you apply to be my personal assistant as I am sure we would be a perfect match.

Note: Marilyn’s hairless tail maybe an indication of Adrenal Disease and should be checked out by a licensed Ferret Vet. I am not a vet but one of the symptoms of Adrenal Disease is hair loss.

Disclosure: I get no compensation for featuring ferrets on my blog from Pet Finder or the shelter that has the featured ferret.

The commentary from the point of view of each ferret is my own take on the information given or not given depending on the shelter, rescue, or society and should not be taken seriously unless noted in a note or the disclosure.

Have a Chittering Good Day,

Jo

Country Boy

 

Hi all I am Garth and right now I am calling Mason City, IA home until I can wiggle my way into the right forever hooman’s heart. I isn’t big on cats and dogs and really would prefer der wasn’t any in my new farmstead.

I knows there isn’t a lot of information about me listed other than I am a boy and I don’t care for cats and dogs but I think that is because the hoomans here are just too busy with all dem other critters to sit down and write up something about me.

At least you can see how cute I am. I maybe just a hay seed to some but I know there has to be a hooman out there that needs the complete innocence I can provide while checking out every inch of my new forever farmstead. Won’t you let them hoomans know I am waiting right here for them.

Disclosure: I get no compensation for featuring ferrets on my blog from Pet Finder or the shelter that has the featured ferret.

The commentary from the point of view of each ferret is my own take on the information given or not given depending on the shelter, rescue, or society and should not be taken seriously unless noted in a note or the disclosure.

Have a Chittering Good Day,

Jo

Jumping Jack Flash

 

Hi there my name is Jack and I am living in Stewartville, MN and I am now looking for a forever home with someone who understands a ferret who has gone through major surgery to remove an adrenal gland.

My tail is still working on getting its hair back but I am sure it will be back to being full soon.

I am easy going so I would like to be in a home where there is one or two other mellow ferrets that I could cuddle up with when I get tired from all the jumping and running I am catching up on.

The right hooman would know just I need to stay healthy and know the perfect vet to take me to when I need a checkup.

With having the diagnosis of Adrenal I really should see the vet more often than once a year just to make sure I am not having a relapse or something else show up that could become really bad fast.

Are you the right hooman for me or know the perfect one then please come/send them to check me out and see if we are the perfect match.

Note: Jack wasn’t available for adoption until after his surgery. Because he is an adrenal survivor he is listed as special needs. Ideally he should be adopted by someone who has dealt with this disease and knows the reality of his survival rate could be lessened because of the chance he could develop tumors on his remaining adrenal gland.

Disclosure: I get no compensation for featuring ferrets on my blog from Pet Finder or the shelter that has the featured ferret. The commentary from the point of view of each ferret is my own take on the information given or not given depending on the shelter, rescue, or society and should not be taken seriously unless noted in a note or the disclosure

Have a Chittering Good Day,
Jo