To my carpet sharks

Years ago, when Anton told me he wanted to get a ferret, I didn't mind. Though I always used to want a full out menagerie (of reptiles, mostly), I never thought about having one of them as a pet, so I hadn't thought about it either way. When the time came to look into getting one, he finally said: "I didn't even think to ask if you had a problem with getting a ferret."

"Seeing how your face lights up when you look at them, there's no way I would tell you no," I told him.

Do I regret saying that?
Never.

Would my life have been different if we'd never gotten any ferrets?
Absolutely.

Less headaches?
Yes.

Less stress? Less trouble?
Sure, at least from trying to keep three ferrets from stealing and destroying EVERYTHING or ferret proofing a house.

But I never would have experienced ferret theft (and not just shoes, soap, balloons, pop cans, markers, paper, etc. but also baby ferrets), ingenuity, bravery that went past the border of stupidity. I never would have been cornered in a room while a ferret attacked my shoes. I never would have experienced the little ferret teefees and the snaggletooth, and ferret sneezes (which all have to be some of the cutest things in the world). I never would have experienced a ferret running to the door when I got home, with its little feet on my leg, greeting me like a dog. I never would have experienced tiny green noses and feet after getting into some food coloring. I never would have experienced toe bites and ferrets standing up on my leg, looking for attention when I was spending too much time on the computer. I never would have experienced ferrets covered in snow, dirt, or styrofoam. I never would have experienced the crotchety old ferret biting me because my leg was in his way. I never would have experienced the disbelief of watching a ferret strong arm its way over a ledge. I never would have experienced a ferret trying to claw its way through my back. I never would have experienced the Houdini worthy escapes.

I would have missed out on the completely different personalities of each of our ferrets. I would have missed all the dooking, hissing, war dances, and speed bumps.

I might not have had the frustration, trouble, bites, and scars, but I wouldn't have had the love and fertie kisses I get every day.

And I wouldn't change that for the world.