[Covet]: Ferrets!
By Morgan Short, Jan 21st, 2010 | In Shopping
"Covet" is a celebration of the mass accumulation of commodities. Basically, it's just seeing purchase-worthy stuff around Shanghai and sometimes purchasing it.
Item: Ferrets
Store: Angora (1367 Kaixuan Lu, south of Yan'an, two stores down from this super hardcore dildo shop -- just sayin').
Cost: Depending on color and age (little albino ones are the hot ticket) 1800rmb-3000rmb
I didn’t want a ferret when a friend of mine tipped me off to this shop’s existence, but now that I’ve been down there, oh man now I do. Totally.
His name will be Captain Boots Snugglefeathers and we’ll be bestest friends and go everywhere together! Solving crimes, maybe!
From what I understand from the internets, ferret owners struggle to be taken seriously in the pet-owning world. I can buy that. This is the first time I've ever seen a ferret in real life, and initially it's a pretty tough sell. The Angora shop on Kaixuan is a really small, shoebox of a store -- more of a ferret half-way house really -- and as soon as you open up the doors to go inside you’re hit with this wave of tangy piss smell. Bam. And you never really get used to it. It’s like being locked in a closet with a passed out high school student.
Other than that though, I'll be damned if ferrets aren't the cutest little guys! Basically, the store is about 5 cages, home to one or several ferrets apiece, and you pick out one that interests you. The clerk puts them in this larger, open-top class case, and you can see how they run. The one I was hanging out with was pretty spazzy -- running around, rolling on the floor, flipping out -- maybe because he/she/it had been in a cage for a couple weeks or so. Yeah, that’s a little depressing.
So I held him a bit, which was not unlike holding a giant pissy hamster. But enjoyable all the same. And then I had to pass him off to this chain smoking Chinese dude in a suit who was also looking to buy one. He shook him around in the air a bit and we both had a good laugh. It's nice being wealthy.
So yeah. Not much else to add to that. They’ve also got all that other stuff you'll need -- carrying cases, plush jungle gyms, toys, a few nifty sweaters, and oh yeah, food.
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michiamocookie, Jan 21st, 2010
they are so cute...hope I could have one...:(...but they will bite.i guess...cause my hamster bite my finger before...Didjelirium, Jan 22nd, 2010
So, a few advices from a previous ferret not owner but roommate of a ferret's owner....+ If you can choose, pick up a female and not a male.... main reason being these cute little creatures SMELL A LOT !!!! Male way more than female, even though you'll get more than just a faint with any of them.
+ be sure you like to look for things, like shoes, cable, music equipment, bags, stuff in your bags, stuff around your bags cos they LOOOOOOVE to hide stuff. I more than once arrived late for meetings because i couldnt find my keys or my shoes or any other stuff that can be hidden by these fun animals. They have small-bear-like paws, really cute, but really scratching and allowing them to grab about anything....
+ It's not a usual animal to be tamed but it is fun to have one. You can hunt with them, though i'm not sure how many rabbits are hiding in shanghai's road holes, but so you know, you can do it.... Need a bit of patience cos it's not that smart furry beast but it can climb up and down about anything, so if you fancy dressing it up with a small video camera and spying on your hot asian chick neighbor, i'd strongly advised to buy a couple of ferrets and start spreading them around.
Enjoy !
^^
alotofit, Jan 23rd, 2010
My GF in college had two in her dorm while I was dating her. Awesome little guys. They actually like to play and wrestle and I never got bit. They do like to hide shit and hide themselves. On the flip-side they also like to get into absolutely everything they can, so make sure you're kitchen cabinets are heavy, or have childproof locks. and don't leave food (or condoms, for some reason they love to eat condoms) out.Neffy, Jun 14th, 2011
The author nonchanlantly and kind of jokingly describes her experience but a ferret is not your run of the mill pet. I didn't even realize these were legal in China since ferrets are considered exotic pets. As a former owner of two ferrets I can tell you these are high maintenance pets. They require alot of attention and are extremely active; almost like a toddler and get into everything. They do have an odor so be sure your roommates are cool with that. In the U.S they are required to get a distemper shot and are usually fixed but not sure how that works in China. Also keep in mind that you probably won't be able to take them outside of the country if you decide to move. Please do your research before you decide to purchase one.Please sign in or register to comment