Sad days

Mr. Doorstop, my oldest traveling companion and ferret-face-grumpy-pants has passed away. He is in ferrety heaven now, amusing himself with plastic bags and empty boxes, no doubt. I can't even stand the thought that I didn't have a proper burial for him... except that I live in the desert and I'm 99% sure that the feral cats in the neighborhood would have found it excellent to dig him up and eat his face.

I was getting ready for bed last night and as I'd seen him earlier in the evening laying in the bottom of the cage, I decided to check on him again. He'd worried me a little bit being down there, but the dryer was going and it was hot in there, and when that happens, the both of them lay in the bottom. I made sure he was breathing and let him be. At about midnight, he was no longer breathing. I don't know if it was the heat that did him in (the dryer doors were left open, which makes my room pretty much akin to the amazon freakin' jungle) or that he was just too sickly to carry on. Either way, it's very sad.

He's been with me for almost 5 years now. From Michigan, where my brother bought him for me on a whim, to all my years in Reno, and now to Vegas. I'm sorry that I hadn't spent more time with him recently. Makes me sad to think I won't be able to feed him peanut butter bites anymore.

Skidmark is confused and looking all over the cage for his buddy. He's never been without a friend before and I'm not sure how well he'll cope. I know that ferrets do better with someone to entertain them, and usually even better with someone of the ferrety nature. We'll see how it goes. He was scratching and clawing at the cage all nigth last night and I know he's confused. Poor little guy.

So here's to Doorstop, my silent travel buddy... the one who kept me sane on the drive from Michigan to Reno and the ferret who rode with the sunroof open from Reno to Vegas.