Author Topic: Sweet dreams Mars  (Read 2165 times)

Offline lazy-ferret

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Sweet dreams Mars
« on: October 18, 2021, 04:26:54 PM »
Back in 2016, our ferret numbers had dwindled, and the house was feeling empty, so we decided it was time to pop to the rescue and pick up a couple of young Beenie Boys to liven things up… We used Suz’s birthday as an excuse… As usual, it was a very hard decision trying to work out which of all the gorgeous ferrets we wanted to take home. We found pair of Beenie boy brothers, , but there was also an equally lovely Beenie boy, with a Poley brother… then, at the end of the line, in a big court, there were loads and loads of beautiful really dark Polecats… Now, I love Beenies, through and through, but there is something about the dark Polecat colour I also love, and not only were these dark polecats, these  were extra fluffy as well… The guy at the rescue was hesitant to let these ferrets go though, as there was a story behind them. So after admiring them through the bars we decided to see which pair of the 4 we had whittled it down too, were going to come home with us.



Decisions, decisions… We decided to let our current ferrets choose, so put the 4 into a run with ours, to see how things would progress. While this is going on, Suz and Chrissie stay to chat, and keep an eye on them, while I go with the Roy to the Polecat court again (he knows I love the Polecats), “just  to have a closer look”, while he tells me their story. We go into the court, and immediately, a gorgeous little jill decides to climb up me, and cuddle in. Roy tells me that she is actually the mother of all the other 12 that are in the court and won’t be up for re-homing. We put her back on a shelf, and pick up another little jill, but within seconds, the mother had shot down the ramps, and is back up in my arms. Roy says how she has always been aloof with people, and this was not like her. He takes her off me, and double checks to make sure it is the “mum” before putting her back on another shelf. In the meantime, the other little jill is gently chewing on my fingers, and so fluffy… Before I know it though, the mum is back in my arms as well.

We Put the mum back on a shelf, and leave the court, but I have managed to sneak the little jill kit out to try with ours, and the other however many are left after the introductions. I get back to Suz & Chrissie to see that not only are both the pairs of new ferrets getting along with each other, but they are getting along with ours as well. I pop the little Jill in, “just to see”, and she promptly finds the others and start playing.



We sit down to have a cup of tea, and give them a bit of time, all the time trying to think which 2 we are going to keep, when Roy disappears, then reappears with another polecat, and pops her in… It’s the mum, and she promptly settles down and starts playing mum to them all.

We end up taking all 6… (there’s a surprise!!)

We called the mum, Mars, as it seemed to fit, she was nice and dark like a Mars bar, which fitted our chocolate name theme, but also the way she acted, I thought of her as a bit like “Ma Larkin” from “The Darling buds of May”. She was half Wild Polecat, and half Angora (explains the fluffy). The person who originally had her, had been given/sold one of Roy’s wild Polecats (Bourneville’s brother), but had not had him neutered, as per the agreement. They had then used him to breed with the angora, to try and make a very dark fluffy ferret, but it had not worked, as in Mars case, it had lost the very long coat, and was now just very fluffy and soft, which was not their aim. For some reason, they then bred Mars back to the same Polecat, and had produced the other 12 kits in the court. So not only were they not supposed to be breeding from the polecat, but they were also inbreeding, and when Roy found out, he stepped in, which ended up with him having all the ferrets.



Roy had decided that since we were the first people Mars had ever taken an interest in, she would like it with us, with the bonus, she would get  to keep one of her kits.

Mars just settled in, and while not out there as one of the terrible troublemakers, or super cuddly ones, she made a point of “being there”, a real fiend for treats, and would spend hours play fighting with her daughter “Magic” in the garden. She loved “her extended ferret family”, and could usually be found at the bottom of a pile of the boys and her daughter.



She liked an amble on the lead, but really came into her own, when we took her out in the evenings at Steam Fairs. Furthermore, she loved the sounds of the fairground, the bustle of people, and could not wait for us to sit down with a drink, and a bite to eat, where she would sit on our lap and watch all the sights, flashing lights, and smells of what was going on around us, usually helping us with our food. Not only that, but she also loved meeting new people, always ready to give a little cuddle.



She lived without any medical problems right up till she was 6 and a ½, but one day, we found a 2 small lumps, one in the inside of her rear leg/groin area, and one on the back of the same rear leg. The one at the front rapidly increased in size, and after several visits to the vets, to try and find out what it was, trying various medications and a biopsy, it started to really bother her, and made her lose the use of her backend, I made her a trolley to make it easier to get around, but in true Mars independence, she hated it, refusing to let me put her in it, and continued to try and make her back end work. We had a glimmer of hope, after the operation to try and remove the lump, as she rallied round, and was a lot happier, even re-gaining some use of her back legs. Unfortunately, the lump came back very quickly, and even when we thought she had given up, she would wake up for her meds, and a treat. Last night though, she was refusing any food or drink, and just wanted to cuddle. We knew that she had had enough, and she passed away at 1:30am, cuddled up on us, going to the rainbow bridge with one last little contented sigh.



Sweet Dreams Mars, for some reason you chose and were determined to come and live with us, which we are very grateful for, and I really hope we gave you the life you expected, and hopefully made it even just a little better. You played Mum (cuffing many round the ears) to so many ferrets over the years, many of whom are already up there waiting for you at the Rainbow bridge, so we know you will have a whole pile of ferrets to snuggle under.

I know it’s asking a lot, but could you please keep an eye on Bourneville, and especially Magic, as they are already missing you.



:bkiss :wkiss: :kiss1: :adore:Sweet Dreams Little Girl :adore: :kiss1: :wkiss: :bkiss


I ferret proofed my house... but they still keep getting in

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Offline lazy-ferret

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Re: Sweet dreams Mars
« Reply #1 on: October 18, 2021, 04:50:45 PM »
I ferret proofed my house... but they still keep getting in

Weaseling out of things is important to learn! It's what separates us from the animals.....  Except the weasel....(Homer J Simpson)

Eagles may soar, but weasels don't get sucked into jet engines

Oh, see, impossible wishes, wishes that can never be granted, they produce a ferret. - Warehouse 13



Our web site


Offline girly-lazy-ferret

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Re: Sweet dreams Mars
« Reply #2 on: October 18, 2021, 11:27:43 PM »
Just recently Mars would lay between the two cushions beside me on the sofa with her head hanging out mainly napping but knowing I do tend to move about a fair amount which means I will always be moving past the treat box, if awake she would be on the corner of the sofa meerkating me. :adore:

I have a few photos of her at what seemed to be one of her favourite places, she loved the atmosphere of the steam fairs and really seemed to enjoy people and noise, so was in her element when we stopped for a hot cider it was a look of bliss on her face as she took it all in. I am hoping the photos will surface soon.

Covid has meant  we haven’t been able to take them away and add to the memories, but we are around with them continually, so I think/hope they have enjoyed us.
Mars was always on the move, she danced with her daughter all of the time and we spent a lot of time watching and taking in them making us smile, but because we enjoyed watching and playing, we didn’t get many pictures that weren’t on the go.

When she rested, she loved spending time with Bourneville, Magic, Kit and Kat.

I’m privileged that Mars chose to spend her life with us, I hope she has a ball and keeps and eye out for us all until we are together again. :angel1:






Offline star

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Re: Sweet dreams Mars
« Reply #3 on: October 19, 2021, 09:07:55 AM »
 :cry: So sorry guys  :fuzzyhug:,
Sweet dreams Mars have fun over the bridge.