[Introduction written: August, 2001]

Mikayla is a ferret like no other. Nicknamed "Double Wide," she is the largest (read: roundest) female ferret I've ever seen. Show judges don't want to see her in their rings anymore because she's so fat :) She doesn't eat any more than the rest of the kids, but she's just got that kind of metabolism. Interestingly, she's not inactive, or even out of shape - she's quite a muscular ferret and she can hop, dance, and play with the rest of the gang with no problems. She just looks funnier doing it!

The story of how Mikayla, and her sister Mookie, came to me can be found on Mookie's page. What is omitted on that page, however, is what it is that made me decide to keep these two sweeties. After their former owner dropped them off, I took some time to get to know the two of them. The first time I picked Mikayla, then called Michael, up... she bit me. Hard. For no apparent reason. Instead of being mad, though, I was hooked. Literally, love at first bite, and I can't explain it. Since that bite, she has never once even tried to bite me... just that one time! And that's all it took.

Mikayla was named Michael when she arrived. When the former owners first got the pair, they were told that Mikayla was a male, thus the name Michael. She was such a beautiful and delicate thing back then (not the big fat cutie she is now) that I couldn't see keeping her named Michael. So, I came up with Mikayla instead - but I swear, she just hated me changing her name! She would glare at me when I called her Mikayla - seriously! If she was especially looking mad, and I called her Michael, she would give me kisses. But I couldn't go back to calling her Michael... so Mikayla it has remained.

At the time of this writing, Mikayla is quite ill. She is suffering from kidney failure. It apparently began as a urinary tract infection and spread to the kidneys. She is being treated with a six- to eight- week regimen of antibiotics and regular sub-q (under the skin injections) fluids to keep her hydrated and to flush out her kidneys. She's doing really well, and I am optimistic that she will recover from this. She's been temporarily pulled from her group so I can monitor her progress, so she and Mookie are apart, and that's probably the hardest part of the entire illness. Hopefully soon, she will be back in her regular cage with her friends again!