New family member and toy

Well folks, it's been quiet around these here parts. There's been stuff to say, I just haven't bothered to post! Can't start such a bad habit, it's unconstitutional.

I want to start with a very very big announcement.

I'd like to introduce Finnegan.


As of this post, Finnegan is 5 weeks old. He is a male purebred border collie. He is out of Hawk's Landing's Coal and Rio, and I'm bringing him home in two weeks.

This has been in the works for QUITE some time now. I've been in contact with the breeder for a bit, and have been holding my breath waiting to make the post. I wanted to wait until my puppy picked me out. And pick me out he did.

I'm beyond excited and happy. This is going to be an amazing adventure. :D I'll add a page fore Finnegan when he's physically home with me!


Also, I got a wonderful gift for Christmas: a Canon Rebel XSi. For pets, I don't think there's a better camera. (click for big images, detail-tastic)

Palom



Porom



ATTACK.


Yuffie, who is normally so fast I can never get detailed photos of her. Behold.



Expect more posts, now that I will consistantly have decent accompanying photos. :)

Also: OMG PUPPY.

Frolics and veterinarians

Saturday was the Ferret Rescue Society of Ottawa's annual Fall Ferret Frolic. As in many provinces/states/countries, ferrets are either outlawed or just not paid much attention to, I think I'm very lucky to live in a such a ferret-tastic city. I'm sure the turnout was at least 40 or 50 ferrets.

I'm also very lucky that my fuzzbutts finally gained enough weight to fit into their harnesses, just in time to give me a week or two to get them used to the darn things.

There was am amazing little ferret playground, with tubes and dig boxes...


The fun that Palom and Porom had in the dig box convinced me to make them one out of one of my older Roughneck bins.


Also, must buy some cheap dryer tubes and stash them in the playroom. They had dryer tubes and fancier ferret playtoys.


Palom was fond of this little yellow tube.


Friend Jessica brought her 4-year old ferret, Rascal, who hung out with our two for most of the day. He was particularily fond of Porom, and took a rest opportunity to cuddle with her.


Near the end of the day, they were getting so sleepy that I packed all three into my carrier, with an opening big enough for them to watch the fun. They thought this was a sweet deal.


Fun day! I cannot wait for the next frolic in the spring.

Today was the ferrets' third distemper shot at the vet, plus another general check-up/weigh-in. Both are nice and healthy, and took their vaccines fine.

Palom has doubled his weight in three weeks. Not fat. Just size.



Jeebus.

Adventures in treats and excursions.

It's been an exciting few days in the land of Mammalia.

The ferretkids are totally into their new tent.


It's a shame that I had to place the tent so close to one of their litterpans. I was a little short on choices for places where the tent could both sit on the flat surface and be pinned to a ceiling.

Palom does not seem to mind. When I took this photo, his eyes were open, yet he was snoring. I'm quite convinced he can sleep with open eyes.


Creepy.

Porom didn't move a muscle for my flashless photo.


As soon as I attempted a flash shot... "Hai mum! I'ma check out mah box."


I took the opportunity to grab her for a photo. Yes folks, long ferret is long. And she's nowhere near fully-grown.


Yuffie got some much-needed love this evening. When we were getting used to the ferrets, still new additions to the house, Yuffie underwent some jealousy issues.

"Pfff. I'm cuter. You know it. More floof = cuter." (You need to click the fullview of this pic to seriously understand the wrinkled nose she's giving me here.)


Then I shake her treat jar, and POOF, BOING. Yuffie Ninja Stance. Who needs flat ground, anyway?


"OMG. Mum, I knowz this smell. Smells like delicious."


"I'ma shove my FACE into delicious, k mum?"


*yoink* "Mein."


Oh, and I almost forgot. We had a surprisebout of non-omfgrain weather this afternoon. Since Matt was unavailable, I grabbed the closest awake ferret, Palom, harnessed him up, and stuck him outside in the nice weather.


It was only for a few minutes, taking him for a short jaunt around our big backyard deck. There was lots to see and smell...


...including some discarded dress shoes. All I know is that they aren't mine. A mystery! Palom enjoyed them.


Some of the biggest news to hit me in a long while... there is good news on the puppy front. VERY good news. I will keep the blog updates with what comes about.

New toys and playtimes

Today, I went shopping for the pets.

First, the ferrets got a tent. A sleeping tent. Thing. Being that they sleep 20 hours a day, I figured they'd want a few more things to sleep in.

Porom approved.

Palom did too, I'm sure, but opted to wedge himself between the crinkle tube and the quilt.


EXTREME CLOSEUP


"MAAAAAAA- oh hi, ma."


Then they were both a little more interested in me than their new tent-bed-thing.


So I shut the door, because Yuffie needed her new stuff!


"BAAAAAAAAWWWWWWWW"

Yuffie's teeth are a little overgrown, so I got her a "kabob" thingy for chinchillas and loaded it with wooden and mineral chews.


But as always, I come to take photos and all she can do is freak out that I'm ACTUALLY HERE, VISITING HER.

"Oh hai."


And she just kinda... stood there. Until I walked away. Then she FREAKED and startednomming on the pink triangular mineral chew. I think there's only, like, half of it left. I'm sure her teeth feel better!

I went back to see my poor, neglected, baaaawing ferrets.

"O hai mum! Playtimes now?"


Into the bathroom -er- playroom we go. Land of the open playground and the jingletoy. Ohhhh, the jingletoy.

"OH MY GOD MA YOU BROUGHT OUT THE JINGLETOY"




Palom does it backwards.


"*SIGH* Bro, this be how you do it."


Busy day for the fluffs! Tomorrow, Yuffie gets a nice long playtime, and if it's nice outside, the ferrets will go on their first excursion outside !!

Palom & Porom

Palom & Porom are domestic ferrets, born July 1st, 2008. Palom is a male chocolate sable mitt, and Porom is a female silver.

We had wanted ferrets for a long while, and finally our hopes were realized with this pair. Though only three months old, they are already exhibiting amazing varied personalities.

Palom is the cuddlebug. Quiet, intense, and curious. He takes things at a bit of a slower pace, opting to take in everything carefully and learn all that he can. He watches me closely, always wanting to know what I'm up to.

Porom is a ball of energy. It's rare to find her sitting still when she's awake, always sticking her nose into every nook she can find. She is more apt to play with us than her brother, loving to wardance around, dooking up a storm. She is very vocal, playful, active and silly. When she finally rests, her favorite spot is anywhere close to Palom. She is also deaf, which doesn't seem to affect her in the least.

Yuffie

Yuffie is a female standard piebald chinchilla, born in late May of 2007.
She came to us unexpectantly, as she was one of three in a litter sired by a friend's two chinchillas. After getting their female spayed, they decided to keep the two males, and we got the female.
Having never owned a chinchilla, I did a ton of research before she was old enough to bring home. Thank goodness I did, because chinchillas are relatively complex little creatures. They cannot eat a lot of food that you could safely give to, say, a rabbit. Their diets are much more finicky. They also have the energy level of a caffeinated cheetah, and one of Yuffie's favorite pastimes is flying around her cage at "Warp 10".

She was a runt, significantly smaller than her brothers. Even now, full grown, she is not as big as most standard chinchillas. Otherwise, she is healthy, happy, and full of boundless energy.
Socialized since a kit, Yuffie is an extremely well-socialized chinchilla. She is friendly and curious to anyone who apporaches her cage, and loves coming out for playtime in our pet-proofed playroom.
Yuffie was a pleasant surprise addition to our house. She's a nutcase and full of energy and personality.