From:           	mouse
To:             	deves
Subject:        	animal rescue
Date sent:      	Mon, 3 Jan 2000 16:17:46 -0600

... so I get out of my car and see this THING is on its hind legs looking
at 
me intently from 6" away.

Terror/dissociated mode:  is it a small raccoon?  Mutant cat?  Huge rat? 
What the fsck?!?

Rational mode kicks in:  it's a ferret.  A ferret in my parking lot.

Terror mode:  Argghh!  I've never been near a feral ferret.  Will it
eat me?  Is it rabid?  Ahhhhh!!!!!!!!!  It's crawling up my pants leg!!!!!
ARGhOIWOIWJLWJLA!!!!

Rational mode (about the time it gets to my knee):  It's looking at me
like it likes me, and not in a dinner type of way.  I want to touch it.
But why is it outdoors?

Turns out the local moron college kids next door skipped town.  The ferret
cage is next to the dumpster.  I get the foodbowl out of the cage and
lure the ferret to the cage with it.  And stand there for a long time.

Then I clean out the shitty rags and stuff out of the cage, and dump the
bottom pan.  Doesn't smell much now, except a bit of normal animal smell.

So now there's this ferret in the living room.  Any have practical
experience with these things?  It's nails are a bit overlong.  I gave
it fresh water in a new bottle, and some ferret food from walmart,
and a fresh towel to lay on.  His hammock is in the washer now.
Other suggestions?

It hasn't bitten me or anything, though ferrets (in my limited
experience) always seem like they're about to pounce on everything.

jc