I read the 'vacuum cleaner' story and I had to tell my story.  When we
got our first ferrets I had read that they love tunnels so I went out
and purchased some of that plastic dryer vent tubing.  The size was big
enough to allow the ferrets to walk through and when you buy it it is
collapsed and you stretch it out to your needs.  Needless to say the wife
and I had the babies out and I brought out the new 'toy'.  I placed it on
the floor and to my amazement, they were not in the least bit interested.
I thought that perhaps it might be because of the plastic smell, so (ok
no laughing at me here) I took a vacuum cleaner in hopes of sucking fresh
air in to the tube.  Well now THIS interested Romeo.  He went to the open
end of the tube, climbed in and SURE ENOUGH he was big enough to close
the end of the tube.  Now keep in mind that I was on the vacuuming end
so I was reaching to shut off the vacuum.  Low and behold, Romeo had his
hind legs stuck out and the accordian type hose collapsed... with Romeo
still in the end.  Here he came sliding across the floor.  It was so
cute.  I stretched the hose out again and turned on the vacuum, but this
time when Romeo was ready to go for a ride, I shut it off.  I never tried
this again.
[Posted in FML issue 4846]