Jack the Sable DOB January 23, 2005
Jill the Panda Mitt DOB July 23, 2004
Arrived at the shelter on March 5, 2006

They Found a New Home on February 18, 2007

Jack and Jill came in on Sunday March 5, 2006. Mum says these kids were slated to be PTS. They were in the back room of an independent pet store up near Buffalo N.Y. Mum was told the store owner is going out of business, the owner said these kids bite. Fortunately there was a lady that has a store of her own in the same place, she got the owner to let her have them, then she got in touch with our mum.

Jack and Jill have become wonderful, loving little fur kids. Jill has springs on her feet, she does not know how to walk she either jumps or runs every place she wants to get to. Jack thinks there is no place that is not his. 

I met these two kids the day they came into our lives. Wow, I could not touch either of them let alone catch them. I did get to touch who is now known as Jill, she turned around and tried to bite me, then ran off as if to say do not touch or hold me. I do not like humans. I could not get near Jack at all.

I saw them again on Tuesday night the 21st. Wow what a difference. They were crawling all over the sides of the cage wanting to get out to see us. So Brenda got them out. Jack and Jill crawled all over her, then wanted to come see me. I got to hold them, pet them and love them. There was no sign of Jack or Jill wanting to bite me or even try to run away. They just wanted attention, to be held, to be loved. They have changed so much in less than two weeks. Brenda has such a way with the kids, it is such a gift that she has been given. It brings tears to my eyes to wonder just what happened to these kids before they came to Brenda's Shelter. She is just so wonderful and I love her for this. Donna D. Shelter Friend

Update: March 27, 2008

Everyone here is fine. We are all back in bed since we were up very early to start our day. Thinking about seeing how Charlie and Cayce feel about each other. I'm seeing things about Charlie that make me think of Jack after he was here a bit last year. That, I think I'd like to play with the other kids look in his eyes. We're taking it easy.

Scooter spread about 100 of Colin's magic cards across the floor. Jillie showed him how to rearrange his new book case. Cayce has been enjoying his new three level beds in the cage look. He loves to be upside down hanging over the edge checking things out. You can see spring behavior coming through. Jillie has her episodes of 1.5 sec speeds and Jack ensues then is accused of also having episodes by Poppa.

Colin was calling ferret names as he wanted his sneakers to go off to his appointments this am. I think that is Charlie 's job. Shoe relocation. Tunie is in charge of the insert relocation. White Bear and Smokey are the watch ferrets laying by the heater and rugs on guard when not in tackling mode. Feetsie is just doing his Feetsie Grandpa Bear thing, cruising, eating, pooping, coming over for belly and back rubs and going back to snuggle with Cayce and his other friends. 

Update: February 29, 2008

Off to shovel the light layer of snow then let the kids play. J Jack has potential to learn how to rollover and sit up I think. Jillie can roll, bit his guy has even her beat. I've heard a little swearing when Colin wants to wear his sneakers. He usually can one of one pair and one the other, Charlie is the guilty party. Tunes seems to be off the hook now when she takes off with inserts - new criminal in town. everyone is doing well.

Jill has a new name, Eppy, short for Episode!

Update February 21, 2008

Mike is off to the winter quarters for the war in 1864 until Sunday afternoon, so Jillie and I are holding down the fort. We got the floor washed yesterday! None of the ferrets came out to help shovel the drive so I had to settle for the cat's help! He is developing cabin fever. He and Scooter Pie like to have stand offs at the end of the tunnel. Scooter Pie is a little cuddle bug. Charlie is so entertaining. He is still clamoring around with those size 13's. He has found a second pair! We are still working at getting along.

Jumping Jack was hysterical the other day. Mike asked him what he was up to while sitting on the kitchen rug. He dropped onto his back like he was playing dead and didn't move a muscle. I called him and he sat up. Mike asked him what he was up to again, didn't he drop right over on his back and play dead again! I called him over to me, he came, and I said, attack Poppa. He turned and ran right to Mike and jumped up on his leg - the name seems to fit him! We were in hysterics!

Update: March 29, 2007
Just wanted to tell you Jack and Jill had a great day. I watched them playing on the rugs in the kitchen, squeaking and rolling around -- they are so happy it just made me think, seeing them progress as they have was the best part of my birthday! Jack spent a few hours with the gang while Jill and I slept. Mike took me out to lunch at Beale's Cafe in the City. I had Shrimp Etouffles. It was delicious, spicy hot and very filling. We hit a few other places and came home. I think the filled tummy, comfort of home and the relief of the schedule required for Louis and the all the emotion wrapped around loving the little guy and saying good-bye just caught up with me. Jack went to sleep with is new buds in the drawer. When I checked in with Jill she was up to helping me change the cage around a bit. She was perfect, I'd ask her to help me measure a hammock to the food dish or crawl through a hole to see how it worked height wise. She is so smart! Then I fed Feets his soup and Jack woke up so he came out to play with Jill. The two of them helped me clean out Colin's back pack.

Update: March 28, 2007
Jill had a really hard time last night. She was biting through the cages when she and Jack were loose. She has also been spooked all day today. I tried to clear her field last night. It was unbelievably huge!! It was also loaded with debris. She seemed glad I was doing it. You can see a behavior change immediately when clearing a field like that. All her chakkras were closed too. I tried to get her balanced. I'm not sure if an entity came into the house or if she sensed death... anyway, she doesn't like it. I can feel more than Louise's absence here. So I will be smutching this afternoon and having some fresh spring air come in.

Until last night she was doing so great. She would snuggle with me, I'd find her on my bed comforter, she came when called. Her nipping is minimal and most of that is testing. She is a riot to play with. She and Jack zoom through the kitchen and play with the towel. I have a little baby comforter in her cage she just loves. Jack likes his sleeping bag you send with him. The other day they had the red Lizard you sent, up in the apartment snuggling with it.

Update: March 13, 2007
Did some work on Jill last night. Broke through another level, need to sit back and let this settle in. Jack is so curious about he other ferrets. Introduced him to three of the gang this am. He did pretty well, no attacks, but sniffed and nudged and then preened and then would latch on to an ear or neck and hold on. BWB, Smoke and Tunie were cool. They are so great in helping Jack learn about new friends.

Jill is visiting snooze land these days. Plays hard and then can relax enough to go into very deep sleep. This is when we let Jack meet the others. Jill has so many things to take in she does not have time for the other ferrets, she is too busy investigating sounds, movements, smells.

Update: March 5, 2007
Jill was hysterical today. Actually, she made Colin and I laugh hysterically. She got between the cage and the blanket that hangs down the back and looked just like Spider ferret climbing the walls. She and Mike are gaining trust with one another. She tries hard not to bite his feet and he pets her more and kisses her head now. I suggested that maybe Jill didn't have a problem, maybe he just needed to wash his feet and change his socks. Worked for Colin!

Update: February 19, 2007
Well, I just spent two hours in the room with Jack and Jill. They were settled down more and we had a productive first hour cleaning. Then Colin and I sat on the bed and watched Jack and Jill go for his smelly feet. He finally retreated and washed them!

The ride home went smoothly. It didn't take Jack long to burrow under and snooze. Jill eventually did, but they both popped to attention when I opened the door when I stopped to get gas. By the time I pulled into the drive they were both hunkered down and snuggled together.

They had a few minutes with Colin saying hi. Complete with Jill on his head. Once they hit the ground tails got large and they scooted. It was obvious there were lots of stimuli. Any noise or movement they were not expecting caused a little nervousness. I let them be and just hovered from a distance. They both love to go after socks which I did not know not having taken my shoes off at your place! Jack loves my summer flip flops I wear in the house. In fact, I set up a stash box - it needs to be bigger but I gave away all my boxes to someone.... Anyway, my flip flop is sitting half in and half out of the box. I suppose the good news is that I am not still attached to it, half in and half out of the box too! I was playing with Jill and a hand towel I had in the "apartment." Jill grabbed it and stashed it in the tubing that runs off the "apartment." (That is a cat house on a pedestal with a round hole where I hooked the PVC drainage pipe.) Anyway, it was like having her clog the toilet. She could only come up 1/2 way from the bottom or go half way down from the top. Then you would see this butt come backing out, uphill. Jack figured out he can do the slide like Smokey does in the pipe. They eventually unclogged the drain. Jill tries to stash everything in the pipe.

They helped me set up their cage and practiced their prepositions....in, out, in, out. I let them run in the room while I laid under the covers and read. Man was I whipped by the time I got home! I had trouble falling asleep. Jack and Jill would sneak under the covers. I had to wrap my feet in two layers and watch my hands when she went past. About seven I gave them some feratone on their bellies and put them in the cage and covered it. They settled right in.

I closed them in the room and went to see my 6 pack. They were glad to run and have soup and snacks. You could tell they knew "newbies" had been on the prowl. Smokey laid by the door, sniffed and scratched. I was waiting for Jack or Jill to bite his tail as it slid under but they never did. From there I had a three hour nap.

Thought I would drop this line and let you know things are going less smoothly compared to the other bear transitions as we discussed, but still okay. I still have enough bandaids, gauze and cling wrap to get through tomorrow. My only concern is whether or not I will start showing fur on my face and hands and if my canine teeth will start to extend over my lips...Jill the biting wereferret and all. One of the things I have realized with Jill when I spent time with them alone tonight, is that her energy field is so huge. Energy fields expand and contract. If you want to make your presence known you expand it and if you want to be a wall flower, you pull it in. Her vastness with her field makes her really sensitive to all kinds of stimuli. Jack's is much closer to his body and thus more mellow. As Jill sat on the bed and played with a pillow I have, I worked her field from 12-14 inches away from her. Thus, lesson 1 with my teacher. My goal will be to calm that down a little and I think it will help her be a calmer ferret. It works best to do that when they are sleeping. Does Jill ever sleep????

I'm going to try to be disciplined enough to journal their transition to their new home. There probably will be some very good learning experiences in it. Heck, maybe a book.

I will leave you with the first line of their poem and hope you don't miss them too much.

Update: March 22, 2007
Jill commandeered Colin's shirt from his drawer for her cage tonight. Jack has been out playing with the gang. They are so funny. Jack is learning how to be a young male ferret. The other day I heard all this squeaking and found him in the tub with BWB. It was hysterical, no one was biting or scratching just squeaking and nudging I have begun pulling up the blankets so Jill can see Jack and the other ferrets when he plays with them. I also take her out and put her near them but hold on to her. She is getting a little more tolerant and relaxed each day. She cuddles now if you pick her up when she is sleeping. Today I got them trimmed and drops in without much fuss. I think she has flashbacks every now and again, she was very skittish today when I approached her in Colin's bottom drawer. When she realized it was me she came to me, but I think she was really asleep- maybe dreaming. When it is time to come out of the cage in the morning, both Jack and Jill will crawl out onto my hands for their hugs and kisses before they can go bombing around.

Update: October 15, 2008
Oh Muuuummmmm:

Do you have an extra space at the shelter for a few days? We may have to come hangout for a few!

You see, It's all Jack and Bulky's (that's Smokey's fat name in the winter) fault. Mom always thought Jack had allergies, but I think it is because he always has his faces stuck in things like the rice box, or say a bag of pancake mix or corn meal! Bulky and Jack felt they needed more room so they pulled the bag and box out of the cupboard. I was implicated in this whole ordeal because my tracks were found at the scene of the crime with the corn meal and the top to the box. White Bear is guilty too, but he's not talking so I don't have the facts on him just yet.

Mom never even said a word, well she just kind of talked to us like we were okay and just needed another opportunity to express our true selves. "She did say when the rugs went flying out the door in a large cloud of white and yellow that she felt she was experiencing deja vue. I'm not sure what that means, but I figured she was not gonna be happy. Eggie said she mopped after I went to bed and cleaned all the rugs last night.

The boys went to the garage so Jack could get some fresh air up his nose and some of the corn meal and pancake mix out! They ran and jumped and generally blew off some stink. Of course each of them ran out the door so Mom could follow them again and catch them she has been trying to increase her aerobics program! Then Mom got the BIG rug and let me ride on her shoulder while she carried it to the deck to shake. There was a big cloud of powder so I ran for cover - I thought maybe it was a terrorist attack! I could even hear helicopters in the distance!

Mom came and rescued me and assured me it was simply the results of an attack of weasel proportions - nothing she couldn't handle. The helicopters were probably ROTC members from the college getting their annual rides in the Heuys. GO ARMY!! We have to say that because Mom's nephew is ARMY STRONG - he is a recruiter now. Mom says he is her hero. I thought Jack and I were but she says we are her weasel hero's Benny is her human hero. He was awarded the Purple Heart in Iraq.

Well, maybe I can go unpack my kibble and hammie. The kitty just ate a chipmunk head and barfed it all over the front step - oh gross, right in front of the door. Heeeeeyyy Jack, we are out of the dog house. Yeaaaa, we're out and the cat's in - wait til Poppa sees this!

Oh well, you never know what the future will bring, keep a cage for us Mum!
Love,
Jack and Jillie