Dief's Memorial

	Nick Name: Dief Name: Diefenbaker Sex: male Birthday: 2 November, 1998 Colour: sable panda/blaze Eye Colour: burgundy Hearing: deaf Hit Rate: 100% Crossing: 29 October, 2002 memorial page

Dief was a xmas present for Birch, when I was worried she might be a bit lonely. as a kit he was little brat, always shaking the bars with cage rage when he was locked up, or screaming when he wanted something. he went through a phase where he was idolizing Birch, always following a feet or two behind her, but not so close that she would notice him and beat him up. he was always hyper when awake, and first Birch and I, and then Demon the kitten, would get tired playing with him.

when he grew older, he became a very good boy. one day I took him to a picnic, where I lost his leash. on the way home, he had to go, but I didn't let him down since I was afraid he might run off. so I stuck him in my backpack, figuring that I would just wash it. when I opened my bag, I knew from the smell he had done his deed, but he had done it in a plastic bag of litter inside my bag. I did not need to clean out my backpack and from that day he was the perfect boy to me. Dief almost never missed the litter box (or bag) in his life.

Dief was diagnosed with insulinoma about half a year ago, and probably had it for longer than that, so he was a bit low energy in general. I could always rely on him when I need a ferret to nap with me, or just sit on my lap while I read or work. Dief was deaf, so he never knew when I call him, but if I wave my hand when he was looking, more often than not he will come running for a hug. Dief was never a fat ferret, but he did gain a few ounces rather rapidly when he discovered how much he liked chicken baby food after an insulinoma surgery. he also loved to drink orange juice out of my mugs. because he was so good, I took him to the graphics lab with me often and he would stay on mine or somebody else's lap for a whole day. Dief earned me a bonus mark on my splines project, just by being there. Dief was also great with children, and had fun rough housing with my friend's kids while never nipping. Dief talked in his sleep often, and would twitch his paws as well. he was a bit shy of the great outdoors, but would walk around a little as long as I am there to pick him up again. indoors or outdoors, he was always asking me to pick him up and hold him, he would grab my arm if I held it out, or put his paws on me and look at me with wide, gentle, burgundy eyes. Dief wasn't a particularly licky ferret, but he was always happy to give me a kiss. Dief was a mommy's boy.

I know that he is playing with Storm now, full of energy again. we miss him so much.