Goodbye, George. (887 hits)
Category: NoneRating: 1.69 on 16 reviews (Rate this item) (V)
Submitted by Ferretnose (View user info) at 2004-08-01 06:12:31 EDT
Here it is, 4:20 AM. I had a hard decision to make tonight. I'll tell ya about it and then I'll say goodbye, probably for a several months.
For the past week, I have been watching George suffer and deteriorate until he has become a bag of fur and bones. He can't walk. All he does is throw up and wheeze. I've had to feed and water him by hand. None of the half-assed vets in this or nearby towns "have the ability to administer treatment to ferrets, but we can euthanize." Besides, there isn't much they could do anyway. I have been just sick with this, all week, especially the past 2 days.
Luckily, Ubersite was at least a good distraction. I am going to leave off writing for a while; I'm about to be taking some classes, and I'm super depressed. I'm going to stay off the computer completely for a few months, maybe do some exercizes or catch up on my embroidery when I would have been surfing the net. My ass is deflating. You know, do some emotional, physical, and mental spring cleaning. I hope some interesting things go on for yall.
So I'm going to talk about him for a minute. Tomorrow I am going to make a spot for him on my parent's land. Monday I am going to have him put to sleep if he makes it till then. I hope he dies in his sleep though. I have my St. Francis candle burning, should he need a light.
George was a wedding gift from my husband. I had chosen the cheapest ring at WalMart so we could (barely) afford to buy him from the petshop. He, his cage, his toys, and dishes totalled over 200 bucks. He was worth even more. He travelled everwhere with us.
He had personality. He never bit, even when playing. You could say, "Be an otter, George!", and he would roll on his back and stroke his nose with both paws. He would come when you called him, even if he was busy doing ferret things. He has a huge stash of junk he collected under our bed. He is the only ferret I've had who will literally come up to a person and want to be picked up. He was obedient; we rarely had to tell him "no" more than twice.
He is the only ferret I know of that willingly takes baths. He is litterbox trained. When we got each ferret after George, they were all babies, and George took care of them, even Daisy who sucked on his ear so much that he had to stick it out of the cage. George was my son's first real responsibilty as a pet owner. I love the other ferrets too, but George is my favorite.
There's more, but that's all I can stand to write. If you ever get the opportunity to know a ferret, take it. But only if you can be very dedicated to it's well-being, because they are difficult animals to discipline and clean up after. George is 4 years old. Ferrets are prone to lots of diseases, and generally live only about 7 or 8 years even if healthy.
Don't bother replying to this post, because I am logging out now and not looking back until I come back with another post. I'm an all or nothing person. Just thought I'd give a "see ya" to the folks I've enjoyed hanging with here.
Regards,
Ferretnose
User Reviews
Submitted by bush_for_god (user info) at 2004-12-06 23:16:20 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
i have a ferret, and she was the bad one of the litter, the last one left, so i had to get her.
they're awesome
Submitted by Ferretnose (user info) at 2004-12-06 23:07:46 EST (#)
Ranking: 0
You got that right, Ashlee...
I wrote this quite a while ago, and I did indeed end up having to put him to sleep. Luckily, my best friend works at the vet's, which her presence made me feel much better.
Last month, I came across Louie. Louie was being mistreated in a local pet store. He looked JUST like George. I bought him because the other ferrets were so depressed. Louie is a Frankenferret. He has issues and is a bad influence on the others. He plays in the poop. He snores and drools and hoards food and now weighs as much as the other three combined. Won't take a bath. He taught the others how to knock down the water bottle. Ooh, he's naughty.
It's as if George died and I buried him in Stephen King's Pet Semetary, he dug his way out, and put himself in that store for me to find. I better go check his paws for sour earth.
F.
Submitted by QueenAshlee (user info) at 2004-12-06 22:48:13 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
I'm sorry.
I have this cat, Jasmine. I've had her since I was eight years old, and I know her time is coming, but it just kills me to even think about losing her. I don't know what I'm gonna do when it finally happens. Pets are often just as important to people as humans can be.
Submitted by Insanethemind (user info) at 2004-08-01 21:16:38 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
I know someone who has a lot of ferrets who are dying too.
Strange.
Submitted by dakingisdead (user info) at 2004-08-01 20:51:14 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
Bye George.
Catchya Ferret
Submitted by Wiggles (user info) at 2004-08-01 14:58:35 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Ferrets are very cool critters that get a bad rap.
From an environmental and global standpoint, pets are actually a pretty big burden. The amount of food that pets consume is actually comparable to that of humans, if you stretch the meaning of "pet" to include livestock. Domestic animals (particularly cats) also cause a lot of destruction in habitats where small predators are not natural. In New Zealand cats have wiped out quite a few bird species. Also, the overbreeding that takes place among stray cats and dogs creates thousands of unwanted animals on a weekly basis.
But fuck it, pets are awesome.
Submitted by cutiepie (user info) at 2004-08-01 14:49:13 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
im so sorry to hear that. I'ts hard losing animals. I just had to put down my cat that I've had since I was four. Just know that you're making the best decision for him. I went through a time when I thought I had made the wrong decision. Animals can't talk. And, after knowing an animal for four years you know him well enough to know that you're doing right by your animal.
Submitted by domenad (user info) at 2004-08-01 14:29:02 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Another +2 for mentioning ZORK on another post. The only text-based game that made you want to put a shank in someone's eye out of frustration. I said PICK UP THE PLATNIUM BAR, ASSHOLE!
Submitted by domenad (user info) at 2004-08-01 14:11:14 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
My deepest sympathy. It's like I'm right there with you. How can I be so much of an asshole on this site, but somebody talks about their ferret dying and I get all weepy eyed?
Submitted by Disektor (user info) at 2004-08-01 11:46:37 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Hope everything works out as best it can, I lost my 2 ferrets just a few days apart a couple of years ago
Good luck..
Submitted by wardy (user info) at 2004-08-01 11:43:13 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
sorry dude...
Submitted by loki (user info) at 2004-08-01 11:20:26 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
People trivialize the death of a pet, but damn it sucks. I did not take it well when my college cat died. Our vet informed us that the "puppies" are getting too old for some of the more physically challenging 20 mile backpacking trips. My b/f is trying to prepare me for the inevitable there, but I prefer to live in denial. It makes me not want to have pets but they're worth it and I shudder to think of how that horrible, high strung female dog would be treated if she had ended up with normal people who treat their dogs like dogs.
Submitted by lojope (user info) at 2004-08-01 08:44:47 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
I am so sorry, Ferretnose. Come back soon.
Submitted by GodChicken (user info) at 2004-08-01 06:49:03 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
you were an interesting new addition. Don't stay gone too long.
Submitted by Fuxtick (user info) at 2004-08-01 06:37:32 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Submitted by dategrape (user info) at 2004-08-01 06:14:54 (#)
Ranking: -2
Yes, George Bush IS a cunt
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Way to not read the post AT ALL!! Dumbshit.
Submitted by dategrape (user info) at 2004-08-01 06:14:54 EDT (#)
Ranking: -2
Yes, George Bush IS a cunt