Having lost two ferrets to cancer and another to old age (10).  I had decided that I was done with these joyous creatures.  However, there was a little girl at the local family owned pet shop I frequent who had been there for quite awhile.  I was allowed to take her out and play with her every time I visited.  She had been there a long time and needed a home so the owner asked if I would be willing to provide her with one. I thought about it only one night and couldn't resist.  The next day she came home.  I named her Pheobie.  Pheobie is very tricky and soon learned how to undo the latches on her cage.  I reinforced the latches and there were no more escapes until one night.  I woke up at about four in the morning to use the bathroom.  The bathroom garbage was tipped over and the evidence of ferret distruction was everywhere.  I checked her cage then I searched the entire house to.  No ferret.  It was warm that night so the balcony door was open.  The previous tenats had cut out a small piece of screen so their cats could go out on the balcony.  My only thought was that she had wondered out there.  I went out on the balcony, no ferret.  Thinking maybe she had fell the three stories off the balcony I took the flashlight outside.  It was pouring rain but I looked all over.  Back inside the house I told myself that maybe, just maybe, she had curled up in the laundry closet or somewhere else cozy and would be out and about the next day.  Pheobie was nowhere to be found the next day.  I didn't know what to do.  Falling form the balcony was the only explenation for her absence. I searched everywhere outside including neighbors yards.  How do you find a two pound ferret in such a huge neighborhood?  I photo-copied a picture of her and posted "lost" signs all over the neighborhood.  The next day I got a call from my next door neighbor saying he thought he had seen her in his yard that morning and I was welcome to search his property.  Other neighbors were willing to let me search theirs, too.  I searched the neighborhood everyday for a week.  The tempertures fell into the 30's at night for several days and still no Pheobie.  Nine days later a call from an unknown number came.  My boyfriend answered.  Overhearing the conversation I asked who it was and where he was going.  He said he didn't know and left.  "Well", I thought, "that's weird but whatever".  He came back about five minutes later and held out a tiny, starving ferret.  Pheobie was found by a neighbor only three houses away.  She had wandered out from under the porch while he and some friends were standing outside. Remembering the sign he had seen on the lightpost nearby the neighbor had went and got the number to call, while he housed her in an empty beer box. (of all things)  My boyfriend said that when he got there they were examining her and were scared she would bite. LOL! To everyone's dismay, he just reached into the box and lifted her to safety.

Pheobie has not since escaped (I've made sure she never will again) and is back to good health.  She is enjoying her normal antics of picking on the dog and getting into anything she shouldn't be.

If anyone ever loses a ferret don't lose hope.  I truly believe that their curious nature prohibits them from going to far.  It's a great big world out there and not enough time to explore.

- LittleFuzz

Phoebie the Ferret says, "Dance The Day Away!"

I think that it is good for owners to hear that it may take a while, but you can be reunited with your pets.

Take Care!

- Critters Moderator