Hi,
I thought I would respond here, in hopes that maybe it could be useful to
others when they think there ferret has gone missing.
 
Sometime in the winter of 1995 or 96, I use to be in a band.  Well, one
cold wintery night, we had a gig we had to go to.  So, after the ferrets
(at the time I just had China and Sugar, both at the Bridge now) had
there play time, I rounded them up and put them back in cage before
heading out.  For some reason before we left, I turned the heater down,
and I never do that when it's cold outside, but, for some reason I did
this night.  Well, about 3 a.m.  or so that night, we came home, and
before going to bed, i went to check on the girls to make sure they had
food, water, etc.  Well, while walking around, I heard a scratching sound
from inside our heat vents.  Assuming it was a rat or mouse trying to get
in, I started stomping the floor, telling the rodent to go away.  Well,
I then went to check the girls again, and noticed that Sugar was shaking
and looking real scared.  I talked to her and asked her what was wrong,
she then looked at me with scared eyes, and thats when I noticed that
China wasnt in the cage.  I had forgotten to check the bottom latch on
there cage before we left for the gig, and she had squeezed out through
the crack.  That was no rodent in our heat vent, it was China!  So, me
and my husband ran through the house, removed all the vent covers, I
grabbed a hand drum and started banging on it, and my husband grabbed a
flute and started playing in through the vents.  We figured some of her
favorite sounds would make her come to the vents.  Sure enough, she
popped her head out of the vent in the kitchen where I was banging on my
hand drum.  I picked her up, cleaned the cob webs off of her whiskers,
and placed her back in the cage with Sugar, was was then covering her
with kisses, while China drank away at the water bottles.  I'm just
thankful that I had actually turned the heat down that night before we
left, or else, we might not have ever found her, and would have never
known where she went.  So, anytime your ferrets get loose, don't forget
to check inside your heat vents.
 
Both girls were fine afterwards, Sugar passed away Nov of 2000, and China
in January of 2001, there younger sister Tilly was 4, and she passed in
January of 2001 as well.  China and Sugar were both 6.
 
I miss them all greatly.
Jennifer
[Posted in FML issue 3988]