After another puppy choking (look at Jenna's poor puppy) trip to Petland we have a new favorite animal. A baby Ferret. Let me change the "we" to Madie and her buddy Meg's new favorite animal is the Ferret. I am a really fun mom that will chase down a toad, a lizard, pull over to save a turtles life, catch fish, take in the stray cat, let Madie have gerbils, and I will even let almost anything live in a plastic tote for at least 24 hours at our house, but I do need to draw the line with... snakes and ferrets. YUCK! Madie and Meg were totally into the ferret. I think it was the girly maternal reaction since he was a baby, but I pointed out the obviously disgusting adults and they seemingly didn't notice at all how creepy they were. They held them for quite some time, while I tried to convince myself they would not have a disease if the crazy thing bit them. Also if anyone tries to bamboozle you into thinking they do not stink because they have removed their "stink glands" call them a lier and walk away. They reeked.
So I managed to remove the ladies from the ferret area and we headed to the aquariums...safe right. NO..there was this young girl with a big snake coiled around her. The girls loved it. Madie wanted to hold it and I said NO WAY. I am not kidding you-- we just like 2 nights earlier seen on Animal Planet the show when good animals go bad...and this guy was attacked and bit on the face from the top of his nose to his chin by his snake he had had for like 15 years. So-we clearly do not need to hold this vicious animal. I quickly took a picture so Madie could prove her bravery to Daddy as I located the nearest exits with the other eye.
Then the Petland guy says..Do you want to pet his head? NO! NO! NO! Without warning and with lightening speed Madie goes up to the snake-- eyeball to eyeball and is petting his head. The guy then tells her that she can feel the snakes tongue if she holds her hand in front of his mouth. This is clearly a mad man....he continues in his quest to "educate" and tells us that Snakes use there tongue to smell prey. WHAT!! I am telling you the snake was foaming at the mouth. My mind goes into slow motion play back and I see Madie seconds earlier petting...puppies, a kitty, a ferret, a guinea pig, gerbils, little bunnies, and several small birds. All of which I am sure the snake can smell and taste as he is licking my sweet baby's hand. Purposely not making sudden moves to invoke the beast to unhinge his jaw and swallow Madie whole...I told the girls to say thank you (clearly we don't need to be rude to the snake charmer) and I moved everyone in a quick but orderly fashion over to the bubble eye gold fish that are way more my speed, cheating death once again.

The point is...Since Madie has recently changed her long term career goal from being a Birthday Cake Driver (every cake lovers dream job) to a Petland worker, I better get in the game of being interested in all these crazy animals so she will invite me to her house for dinner one day!