Ferrets are infinitely adaptable animals... IF .... and it's a BIG if...
you allow them to adapt in small stages.
 
Ferrets travel very well with proper training (mostly training yourself
rather than training the ferret).  Traveling away from home with your
ferret involves a great deal more than adjusting to a carry sack.  There
are a number of safety factors to consider, plan for, and be continuously
aware of at all times away from home.
 
You and your ferret are in a "new" environment where all the usual rules
don't apply.  Ferrets are very easily stressed by new environments.  So,
to travel without stress, it's necessary to take some of the "home
environment" along with your ferret.
 
Your carry bag qualifies as part of the "home environment".  Place the
opened carry bag on the floor in your ferret's play area with unlaundered
bedding (blankie or hammock) in it and leave it there.  It should become
a familiar piece of "home".  When you go to the post office or bank ATM
or McDonald's drive-thru, zip your fuzzy into the bag for the trip.
 
Make short trips at first... most likely your fuzzy is not going to be at
all pleased.  It's best, of course to do a little pre-trip planning... be
sure he's been to the litter box first and had a snack and a drink.
 
After a few weeks of short cross-town trips, you can try longer trips of
30 minutes to an hour.  Most ferrets generally settle down to nap if the
drive is longer than 30 minutes... there's nothing else to do in the car
in the bag anyway.  Be cautious of sunlight through windows falling
directly on the bag as the temperature inside the bag can quickly become
much warmer than the temperature of the surrounding air.
 
For trips longer than 1 hour one-way, I prefer to use a carrier with a
hammock installed.  Paper towels on the floor provide litter material.
Carry along more paper towels, baby wipes, and ziploc bags for sanitary
disposal.  DON'T attempt to use litter... you end up with a mess to clean
up.  Secure food and water containers.  If they're the type that simply
hook over a bar on the door, secure with a clothes pin to prevent your
bored ferret from lifting the bowl and dumping it.  Fill water only 1/4
full to avoid sloshing.  The carry bag (here, they're called "Go Bags" &
several of my fuzzies recognize that phrase!)goes along for an outing at
the destination.
 
For each longer and longer trip, it's important for your ferret to know
that the car is just another room in his "home environment" and that
he'll be going back to the rest of his home eventually.
 
Anytime your vehicle (and it makes absolutely NO difference how new your
car is!) will be farther than a 15 minute walk from an air conditioned
building (in summer) additional preparation is required.  Keep a small ice
chest with frozen LARGE MOUTHED plastic bottles (like Gatorade or Powerade
bottles) with socks to cover them with in the vehicle.  Once the original
water has melted, they can be refilled with bagged ice chunks from a
convenience store.
 
NEVER, EVER ask someone to watch your ferret for you away from home... not
even your mother (unless she's ferretsat for you at home and has had years
of experience chasing fuzzies in and out of disasters).  Ferrets CAN UNZIP
THE BAG FROM THE INSIDE.  Safety pin the zipper closed.  Never let the bag
out of your sight.
 
On outside excursions avoid standing water, oil or anti-freeze puddles
(or any other unidentifiable liquid), drainage culverts, dog poop, and
discarded food containers.  Feel of pavement before putting harnessed
(H-type only) ferret down.  Neck collar of harness should just barely
slide over ears, chest collar should have room for only one finger.  This
is still loose enough to be wiggled out of.  ALWAYS keep the end of the
leash in your hand so that you can feel the ferret tugging on it.  Remove
harness while they're sleeping in the carrier or bag.
 
Be cautious in allowing strangers to pet or hold your ferret ESPECIALLY if
they ALSO HAVE FERRETS.  Obtain a health certificate from your vet before
crossing any state lines.  Be sure your ferret's rabies tag is current and
on the collar.  Carry a HAND SIGNED copy the rabies CERTIFICATE with you.
Some states do not recognize a stamped signature.  Be sure distemper
vaccinations are up to date.
 
Call ahead to restaurants for carry out if you want more than a
drive-through hamburger.  Don't leave ferrets unattended in a parked
car... not even with the a/c on and the motor running.  If you can't call
ahead, go in and place your order and have it packed as carry out and eat
in the car (at least one person in the party, anyway).
 
In case of an accident, a sheet detailing contact information, temporary
ferretsitter, and vet contact information should be attached to the
carrier or bag.
 
For a more detailed discussion of safe and stress-free traveling with
ferrets, please read the article "Traveling While Fuzzy" at
http://www.geocities.com/ferretsfirst/traveling.html
 
Debi Christy
Ferrets First Foster Home
 
Practical & easy training, care, & maintenance articles available at
http://www.geocities.com/ferretsfirst/
[Posted in FML issue 3703]