With 3 ferrets underfoot, the mischief increases

Published 5:44 pm Monday, March 23, 2009

Finding a ferret running loose in a neighborhood is a very unusual happenstance.

Finding two ferrets running loose in a neighborhood — what are the odds?

The ferret population at the Jerry Petersen home in south Everett has tripled. Actually, the population at his home increased in a human way, too, as his daughter — and her daughters — have moved in.

It’s like any family bunking together in hard times.

Petersen is a widower with a large home on a cul-de-sac. His daughter, Kathy Lester, and her daughters Kelsey, Candace and Cassidy, are staying at the Everett home.

When they moved in, they brought their ferret, Sassy, that they’d had for two years. Cassidy wanted a ferret for a pet. They found Sassy through a newspaper advertisement.

Sassy lived in a roomy cage but often came out to play.

Soon all the television remote controls were missing.

Everyone’s flip-flops were apparently stolen.

They looked under a bed and found the items. Nothing was chewed. Ferrets, part of the weasel* family, just like stashing precious things they find around the house.

It was pretty cute, with only one ferret creating a personal castle of odds and ends.

It was less funny when Sassy took off with $40 that belonged to Kelsey.

It was even less humorous when Sassy hid pain pills Candace received after dental work.

On Jan. 8, the family was unpacking groceries from the car in the driveway. Who should appear under the refrigerator in the garage, but Frankie.

The ferret was injured. His tummy was purple. He could barely move. The family took turns giving him water. They looked in the newspaper to see if anyone had advertised a lost ferret, but no one had.

Even though he likes to bite Sassy, they took in the orphan.

The cage got bigger. It includes little potty boxes.

Homeowner Jerry Petersen said he likes the ferrets, but having more than one wasn’t what he had in mind.

In early February, a neighbor phoned the house. A ferret was sitting in his yard.

Hello, Bandit.

He didn’t seem to have a home. Bandit appeared to be about a year old, from the looks of his teeth.

The three ferrets live in harmony with the household cats, Vienna and Friskie.

The other day, Petersen wondered if his daughter had folded his laundry.

He couldn’t find his underwear.

Sure enough, underdrawers were found under a chest, along with his slippers.

The ferrets also like to store toothbrushes, makeup and hair clips. Frankie tugged tennis shoes under the couch.

It’s a good thing the weather will soon get nice.

Ferrets like to run under the sprinkler.

Let’s hope they can find the hose.

Kristi O’Harran: 425-339-3451, oharran@heraldnet.com.

*Correction, March 23, 2009: The story originally said ferrets are a type of rodent; they are not. They are in the weasel family.