Pet of the Day

December 25, 2002

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Niko, the Pet of the Day
Name: Niko
Age: Three years old
Gender: Male
Kind: Ferret
Home: Glendale, Wisconsin, USA
 
   Niko is our 10th ferret (there are five currently living with us) and is very special. He is a pet therapist, we volunteer at the Humane Society going to nursing homes and assisted living type facilities. We also do educational presentations at the HS, for kids. He likes to snuggle in my lap while I drive. Niko is very sweet, affectionate, and funny. He loves kids and they are drawn to his gregarious nature. He almost lights up when he sees someone new. The people we have taken him to see in his "duties" as a pet therapist just love him. It is hard to pin down what makes him special. He is just unique.

    He loves people and is interested in going places and meeting people. He goes almost everywhere with me. He sleeps on my lap when I drive, and sleeps on my chest at night; he is unusually affectionate for a ferret. He doesn't do any tricks because he doesn't like any treats and without incentive, no tricks! He likes ice cream and whipped cream. He loves to bite on the curly phone cord. He doesn't chew on it, he just bites it. I have a long cord and he tries to drag it behind the couch, it stretches out and when he lets go it springs back and he chases after it. He likes toys that squeak, and he hides all of them behind the couch. He almost died a week or two ago, he got squished under an ottoman. We thought he was going to die, but he pulled through and is chipper as ever. The vet was wonderful, although they shaved three of his legs and his tail and neck (trying to find a vein for the IV) and now he looks like some weird poodle. We had to mix his medicine with whipped cream to get him to take it, but we are thrilled that he is ok. When we picked him up from the vet he climbed on my shoulder and snuggled in my long hair, which he loves to do. We love Niko!
 

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