I have always been a dog person. I had kept other pets such as cats and fish but for me, a dog was the best. After being in Japan a while I decided I wanted a pet. I knew I couldn’t keep a dog because I live in an apartment and I didn’t want a cat either because they always seemed so cold. Then I saw a ferret for the first time. They were cute, playful and they slept a lot so that meant it would be easier to care for them. I found out, however, they were far from easy to care for.

Of course I thought about it a couple of months before I decided to buy Gumi. I did a lot of research. I didn’t want to just jump into it because he would be my first pet by myself. I would be responsible for his life. I quickly found out that ferrets need a lot more care than I originally thought. I wasn’t dissuaded though and bought Gumi just after Golden Week. I had bought all of his food, cage, cleaning supplies etc. just before.

When he finally came to my home he was pretty shaken up. Imagine being taken away from all of your brothers and sisters and being put into this strange new place. I only played with him for an hour a day for the first couple of days. The hardest part during that time was training him not to nip too hard. Many times when we were playing he would get too excited and bite too hard. Ferrets have sharp teeth and several times he drew blood! This really discouraged me because I thought he didn’t like me or he was afraid of me. However, after about a month of constant training he finally understood not to bite so hard. Occasionally he likes to nip my toes though. That doesn’t feel too great.

Even with all of the hardships, raising Gumi has been a lot of fun and has taught me a lot. It is very different from when I had a dog because I don’t have my parents to fall back on. Everything is on me. It is worth it though when we play. I can tell he really appreciates me. So if you are thinking of raising a pet I suggest a ferret. They never cease to amaze you with what they can do and they will always bring a smile to your face.