To ferret or not to ferret, that is the question...

[graculus]

Since poor Milo passed away late last year, this is the longest time I've been pet-less since I've owned a place of my own and now I'm starting to think about getting some more ferrets. He was on his own for over two years, getting older and scrawnier, so I didn't get any more as I'd been through the 'won't play well with others' with the terrible Buzz and ended up running two hutches as a result. Older generally also equals crankier, as who wants a young'un bouncing all over you when you're trying to nap?

Anyway, I have all the kit, including a big (expensive at the time) outdoor set-up standing vacant, and there's no issue financially around vet bills and the like. I've got someone local who can look after them if I want to go away and a vet that I trust to do his best and not gouge me for cash. So, you might ask, what's the problem?

It's the thought of going through all that shenanigans with illness and death again. Part and parcel of being a pet owner, I know, but that doesn't make me look forward to it at all. That's the main thing that's been making me hesitate, even when I know my hypothetical weasels would be spoiled rotten - how I feel about this aspect of pet ownership isn't going to change any time soon.

Anyone else felt like this? I know xochiquetzl has been through the mill in terms of emotions round her cats, so how do I get past this? Should I try and get past this? I'll have to if I ever want another pet in my life...

Comments

[manna]

I stopped keeping rats, even though they were some of the most fun and most interesting pets I've had, because their lifespans are so short. In fact, the strength of personality that makes them so good as pets was exactly what made them so traumatic to own, because it was like losing a furry little friend.

After the rats, I had degus, which are not as much fun, but they have a 5-7 year life expectancy and honestly, I didn't get as individually attached. I was still sad when they died, but I wasn't devastated. For me it's a balance between how much enjoyment I'm getting from keeping the pets v. the amount of heartache they bring.

[graculus]

I think you're right about that, it's the personality which makes you get more attached.

Ferrets should have a similar life-span to degus but are horribly prone, in my experience, to cancers of different kinds and also go downhill very rapidly because their whole system works so fast. All mine except the very first have been rescues, so their age is usually only an estimate, but I've always felt like I've done well if they get to 5 and Milo was positively ancient in comparison when he finally passed away.

For me it's a balance between how much enjoyment I'm getting from keeping the pets v. the amount of heartache they bring.

Yep, that's it exactly. It may be that, at the moment, I'm forgetting all the positives because it's been a good few months since I've had a pet (and he was old and cranky for a while running up to that point too, so not as much fun as a bunch of young'uns!) or maybe I've reached my tipping point. Not sure which at the moment.

[obelix]

*raises hands* Yep that's me. After my last cat and dog are gone I'm just going to say no. I know I'll miss having pets but it's the illnesses and death that I just can't deal with anymore.

I've had to deal with 2 dogs, 12 cats and 6 birds dying to date and still have one dog and one cat to go... so yeah that's it for me :-( makes me sad but it never gets easier and I just can't do it anymore...

[xochiquetzl]

I'm a crazy cat lady, so.

I think it's worth it. I like having the company around the house. Maybe you should get two crazy young'uns to play with each other. Or maybe you should go hang out with someone else's ferrets and see how you feel after a good visit.

Or maybe I'm saying that because cats usually live more than a decade? I had one reach 17.