All I know about the future guy or gal is that it's going to come from Petco. They're the only pet store in the area that carries them! I have yet to visit their store so I don't know what genders or coloration types they've got, but to be honest, I'm not too picky. My previous ferret was a Siamese type, but I don't think their colors have anything to do with their temperament... right? (I sense future research coming...)
But,
anyway, as you can see, there's a wide array of choices. Though the
colors won't affect my decision when adoption day comes, I have to admit
that the Blaze, Panda, and Marked White color variations are really
making me melt.
Before I get ahead of myself, I think a checklist is in order. (Checklists are the bomb!)
The wheels are missing and I'm still debating on whether or not to replace them. To give it a more modern look that would fit in any room, I'm going to paint it black instead of blue again.
The bottom tray, you know, the plastic one, is gone from mine. We had it outside of the cage (I have no clue why) and when a storm came, it got blown around and cracked up. We had to throw it away. Now, I've got to find another one and that isn't going to be cheap. Also, for some reason, my grandfather "borrowed" one of the three ladders. By "borrow" he meant cut in half and throw away the bottom. Add an extra ladder to the list of cage needs.
Although all of that sounds like a lot of money (it is definitely not going to be taken care of for under $10), it is still cheaper than a new cage. When you're an unemployed fifteen year old working on allowance and dog-washing money, you need as cheap as you can go.
After the ladder and pan are replaced, minor repairs are finished, and it's painted, the cage will be ready for use. That's only about 1/4 of the battle.
2. Purchase supplies for the ferret. Honestly, I want to have everything for the little critter before I buy him/her. I don't want to have to make a million emergency trips to the pet store in search of an item.
Just for the heck of it, I'm going to post a list of everything I intend to buy for it.
- Corner Litter Pan
- Ferret Litter
- Carrier
- Collar
- Harness
- Leash
- Water Bottle
- Portable Water Bottle Stand
- Food Bowl
- Dry Food
- Ear Cleaner
- Nail Clippers
- Skin and Coat Supplement
- Brush
- Conditioning Spray
- Shampoo
- Vitamin Supplement
- Cage Cleaner
- Bed
- Toys
- Treats
- Jester Hat (trust me, it's adorable)
- Sweater
- "Born to Dook" Tee (dook- just google it)
- Personalized Fur Coat
Alrighty then. That's a rather long list. It's easy to see why this would cost around $200, right? If I get fifteen dollars every time I wash the three dogs and I bathe them every week, it would take me about four (4) months to earn enough money for those materials. That is if I get to bathe them every week and the money stays consistent... and all of it makes it to the "Ferret Fund".
Odds are, since school starts in a few days, portions of that fund will have to be put in school.
We're going to say that a good six months will be taken up on just the supplies.
3. Put back emergency money. You never know what could happen to you little balls of joy. They could fracture a bone, get impacted, catch the flu, etc. Any number of things could happen, so I'm going to put back at least $100 for emergency situations. That's only responsible pet ownership. What's the point in owning a pet if you can't properly care for it? My point exactly.
That's going to be another 2-3 months right there.
4. Pick out the new family member! This is the point I'm super excited for. Though it might be a longs ways off, I still can't wait! Once, steps 1, 2, & 3 are completed, I have to save up $100- $160 dollars for the cutie. I hear that Petco usually has the ferrets on sale for around $99, so that's good.
Like I've mentioned before, this amount of money will take 2-3 months to earn.
Just to see about how long it will take to achieve my goal, I'm going to list out just how much money each step will take and the amount of time required to come up with the funds.
Step One: Non-toxic Spray Paint (around $6 per can and I'll need three or four)
Replacement Ladder (no clue how much this costs, so we'll allot $20 to be on the safe side)
Replacement Pan (the plastic one is $20 and the metal one is $27 with shipping; we'll go on and say $30 for the pan)
Overall cost of Step One: $74
If I make $15 a week washing dogs, it will take just over a month to get the cage fixed and ready.
Step Two: That Massive List of Supplies (I'm going to spare you and just estimate that it's around $250 for all of it, not counting shipping if I buy some online)
At $15 per week, I'll have the supplies within five months. Just shy of five, actually.
Step Three: $150 in Emergency Funds
For the $15 a week allowance I'm getting (if it stays steady, of course), I will have the emergency money stashed back in three months' time.
Step Four: Ferret (they cost up to $160 at Petco, so we'll allot for the max)
To get $160 it will take me precisely three months to raise that amount at $15 every week from washing the poodles.
When we add up all that time, it will take one year or twelve months to get this ferret. It seems like forever away and actually hard work. That only makes me want it more for some reason.
Earning $634 seems impossible too, but then again... once I achieve this feat on my meager allowance, I'll know I can do anything! This will be a really good lesson for me that has a pretty cool reward, if I do say so myself.
(I'm posting this entry at 3:00 a.m. and I have to wake up at 6:00 a.m. to go fishing with my dad. I'm screwed.)
P.S. Is this not the longest blog entry ever?!
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