Our most recent discussion was about ferrets. People tend to have one of two initial reactions to the word ferret (assuming they know what a ferret is...for those of you who aren't quite sure, keep reading). The first is negative: they're abnormal, they creep me out, they're mean, they smell bad, "Who in their right mind would get a ferret for a house pet??" The second is more positive: they're cute, they're unique, they're entertaining, "A ferret sounds like an amazing pet!!" Needless to say, I tend to favor the idea of a cute, cuddly, well mannered, unique pet while I believe my wife's reaction to the idea was, "I'll tell you what, you can have a ferret right after you find a way to solve world hunger."
Before I get any further, let me introduce you to Sonny and Jasper.
Their owner Jan Smith insists "They are beautiful pets...their antics are incredible." And they are "the ideal pet for living in small inner-city apartments." So...how about some fun ferret facts?Fact 1: The name ferret is derived from the latin furonem, which means "thief." Ferret owners can attest that this is a well deserved name, as they will happily steal anything they can get their paws on and hide it in their house.
Fact 2: Ferrets come from the same family ("Mustelidae") as badgers, wolverines, sea otters, skunks, mink, weasels, black footed ferrets and polecats.
Fact 3: Common nickname for ferrets: Carpet Sharks.
Fact 4: Ferrets live on average about 6-8 years but can live as long as 11.
Fact 5: Sizes vary between 12-16 inches in length and 3/4 - 4 1/2 pounds.
Fact 6: Contrary to popular belief, ferrets are completely domesticated and cannot survive on their own in the wild
Fact 7: Ferrets are litter trained (they go in the litter box like cats) and have no fear or aggression towards humans.
Fact 8: Ferrets sleep 16-18 hours a day and are most active at sunrise and sunset but adapt to the schedules of their owners as they are extremely social animals.
So...there you have it, they sound like the perfect pet to me.
I know what Amy thinks:
Do you agree?
7 comments:
Ferrets are great! If you can deal with the slight odor, they're a lot of fun.
My other recommendations:
I had a chinchilla in a small apartment, and it was a ton of fun. No real odor, and they are great to let out of the cage as they hop around, literally bouncing off the walls! One caveat: they chew on everything, so you have to chinchilla proof the area it will be exploring when out of the cage. Also, if you get a chinchilla, get one that is young so it gets used to be handled, or one that is well socialized and likes human touch. If raised well, they are great socializers, but otherwise they can be a bit shy.
My other recommendation:
Rats! If you can get past the stereotype in your head, rats are incredible! They never bite (unlike stupid hamsters) and are smart enough to be trained (respond to a name, litter trained, etc.) They are often compared to dogs -- the loyal, fun pet of small animals. I had a rat when I was younger and LOVED it! Unfortunately, all my current roommates are too big of wimps to handle a rat in the house now.
Good luck convincing!
P.S. Who would want to eat ferret? That doesn't even sound good.
This is hilarious!
I will say that ferrets are a peg or two higher on my list than other domesticated animals...but seriously, you two should get a couple sugar gliders (http://www.sugarglider.com/). They're even better than ferrets!
Warning: Before purchasing any pet, remember Amy's track record for murdering past pets...she found the garage door especially helpful in perpetrating her deadly plans.
Braden-- Remember when you and Suzy were in our bathroom with your chinchilla and Jim tried to come in? That was funny. John actually would choose rats as his first choice. He had them when he was young, but I told him I would set traps :( I really don't like any animal indoors, and he inserts "ferret" or "can I get a ferret?" into sentences randomly throughout the day!
Caitlin-- ew. we looked at pictures. ew.
if you guys get a ferret.. no one but caitlin will visit you.
but then again if you must get one, the cooking thing sounds like a nice plan amy.
[sorry johnny]
<3,sister.
Ferrets are nasty. I used to live with one. Ick.
Johnny:
So here's the plan: let's put our brains together and solve world hunger so you can get a ferret (maybe two, if you're lucky). I've got a fool-proof scheme.. all we need is a male and a female rat, and about thirteen weeks.
p.s.
Keep inserting the word "ferret" randomly into sentences, and it will have a huge subliminal impact on Amy's psyche. She may just randomly come home with one before our plan for world hunger is complete..
Jim-- John totally cracked up at your comment. He loves any reference to rats and/or ferrets so you made his day with the double reference.
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