The History Of DerbyEggs

*******I NO LONGER put macaroni in my DerbyEggs, instead I put in pony beads as the noise maker*******

Approximately six years ago I was flipping through eBay looking for ferret toys or something new for our guys when I ran across something called crochet eggs and thinking our guys might like them, I ordered a dozen. Upon arrival the eggs were a hit with our ferrets especially with one old gal we had named Derby. Somewhere along the line she decided ALL the eggs belonged to her because from that day on, Derby would stash every egg she could find; taking them away from the other ferrets and even go so far as to stand guard over them during the day.

I can't work anymore, previously I was a medical transcriptionist editor; making corrections in people's medical reports before they became part of the patient's permanent file. I have very serious back problems and that greatly restricts what I can and can't do. At times it seems like there is a lot more that I can't do than I can do but I am happy to say sitting is one of the few ways I can escape the searing pain. I can only stand in one position for a few minutes; waiting in line at Walmart has me in tears very quickly, can't stand at the sink washing dishes for more than a few minutes at the time, can only vacuum for a few minutes at the time (to vacuum my home takes me 3 or 4 attempts at it, vacuum for a few minutes and then have to quit and go sit down) The pain is constant, I can't remember a day over the past three years that I was not hurting. I log a LOT of couch hours with various ferrets supervising the egg making; watching movies and making eggs is a big chunk of my daily activities.

Over the past five years I have sold over 999 dozen DerbyEggs and that is a lot of happy ferrets; DerbyEggs have been a huge hit with the ferret community. I have not heard of a ferret that didn't take to the eggs immediately upon arrival. Pick one up, shake it, it gets the ferret's attention, and they seem to know what to do with it from there. I have had several people to ask me what there is about these silly little eggs that ferrets go so bonkers over and I really don't know but I do know there is no such thing as a "lonely DerbyEgg" as long as you have a ferret without an egg; they seem to accept the eggs readily.

Maybe it is from the high-quality yarn I use to make them with but I seriously doubt that is something a ferret would recognize. Maybe it is the brightly-colored yarn I use to make them with but do we really know whether ferrets can see in color?? Or maybe it is the fact I finish off each and every DerbyEgg with a prayer being said for the little ferret who will be receiving that egg and that it brings them a measure of happiness. I had one lady to contact me saying she had an old old gal that had lost her last remaining DerbyEgg; another of the shelter ferrets had gotten this grand old dame's last egg and she was so distraught over it she had stopped eating. The shelter mom was in hopes of getting her back on track and eating again by ordering her more DerbyEggs to replace the one she had lost. I heard back from the shelter mom in a couple weeks and she said the old gal was back to eating and loving her new DerbyEggs.

Over the past couple of years several of the shelters have been sending each adopted ferret home with a brand new DerbyEgg; it gives them something familiar to with them to their new home, helping alleviating some of their anxiety.

Derby was absolutely bonkers over the eggs and she took ALL of them into her possession. As I was making the eggs, I had to keep them under lock and key; once she got into a batch of new eggs I was making and one by one she claimed them and moved them to her hiddy-hole. She was so funny; I can still see her dashing down the hallway with one of her precious eggs. Every morning when they were let out of the cage, she would work to gather all her eggs and then work her little self silly until she had gotten them moved to a special spot. Throughout the day Derby would move her prized possessions to several different spots; she would get them all moved and then decide that spot wasn't good enough and she would work getting them moved somewhere else. She would stand guard over her precious cargo and Lord help the poor misguided fuzzbutt who decided they wanted an egg or were willing to risk a butt-kicking by Mz. Derbs by trying to highjack one of HER eggs.....

Derby was not a young ferret when we got her; she was estimated to be at least 6 or maybe even 7 years old, she was in bad shape needing adrenal surgery as soon as possible. She also had to have her spleen removed and a dark spot on her liver required a biopsy. I had my doubts that she would survive; for 10 days I had to force feed her and force fluids; she would not even attempt to eat or drink on her own. During that time Derby and I bonded very tight.

I envisioned Derby as a very regal lady in her younger days and if she had worn a hat, I am quite certain she would have stuck purple flowers in it.

Below are a couple of pix of Mz. Derby fully recovered and living life to the fullest. Derby was so spoiled; John would tell me that I turned her into a spoiled brat but knowing the life she came from, I tried to cram as much love as I could into what time she had left. We had Derby almost 4 years and she was estimated to be 9 or maybe even 10 years old at the time she passed.

On November 30, 2006 we found our beloved Derby had left us for the Rainbow Bridge. I wanted to do something to honor her so the eggs were renamed and will forever be known as DerbyEggs. Derby loved her eggs more than any other ferret I have encountered; she was my inspiration for making the eggs and she continues to be so. I feel her little spirit here with me when I am deep into the egg making.

With the economy being as it is right now and shelters having to scrap for every dollar, I am making DerbyEggs available to be resold for fund raising at shows. I can offer them to you at a reduced price freeing up your valuable time and expenses while trying to secure those all important dollars for your shelter, rescue, and sanctuary. I invest the time in making the eggs which frees up your time to take care of more important matters; caring for all those fuzzy little angels. Take the eggs to shows and events with you, display them in groups of 3, 6, 12 or however many you want in a group, decide on how much individually or sold in groups and collect on the sales. The name DerbyEggs is very well known in the ferret community so I don't think you will have any problem selling them. :-) My DerbyEggs have gone all over the United States and Canada, but also to the UK, Australia, Germany, and Belgium. I think that says a lot about the quality and the special magic in my DerbyEggs.