I suddenly find myself with a few questions to pose to the collective
experience of everyone! Anyone with thoughts or advice on any of the
following - I'd greatly appreciate it if you'd share you experience.
(and please e-mail directly to me too, I'm so behind on the fml and
know it will be awhile before I catch up!)

Thanks!

Ferret playmates: one left out
We have three ferrets and I feel like one always gets left out of the
play. They all play together at different times, but when I get home
and let them out everyone is rearing to go, and two tumble around
joyfully while one flat ferrets. I try to engage the third, but he
always seems a bit disappointed. When we move to a house we were
planning to add a fourth ferret. I would like to add two, so a pair
can join us without being too stressed. But will I be setting a fuzzie
up to still be left out? I know an even number won't always want to
play even with four ferrets, but was just wondering:
do most people have ferrets in even numbers, or once you have a bunch
do they just tumble in and out of play groups without one left as odd
ferret out?

Dog addition:
Within a year we'd like to add a dog to our ferret family. We are going
to research the breeds, but are hoping to learn from fmler's experience
of perhaps dogs that were particularly tolerant or non-tolerant of the
fuzzones. I know it's more the individual dog, but just looking for
some guidelines. Also, we were planning to adopt a dog from a shelter,
and were planning to get a dog (out of puppy stage) after seeing how he
reacts to the ferrets. But I'm wondering if it's better to get a puppy
who can learn himself that ferrets are ok.

Do most people have luck with mature dogs or new puppies on introducing
ferrets? And any particular breeds?

House proof:
We are moving to a two level house next week (yea!) and the ferrets
will have their own bedroom. I am totally mourning having them a part
of my complete home routine, from greeting me out of the shower to
running through the room in the evening. We hope to quickly proof and
adjust them to all the upstairs room. But they still won't be able to
interact with us all the time unless they're allowed on the first floor
too. As much as I want this, it terrifies me! I've never lived in a
house with them where the other side of the door was the great outdoors
(it's always been a condo or apartment with the dreaded escape (which
never has happened) being only a hallway. I also worry about not being
able to find them when I need to and worry there would be so many rooms
to be unsure if they got into an accident without me realizing.

I was wondering about house proofing tips (especially with more than
one adult in the household coming and going with the ferrets out)
before it was mostly me and I didn't have to worry. Also, I was
wondering if people with ferrets in houses feel the need to restrict
the fuzzies to just some safe rooms, or if they feel confident in
letting them free roam.

Thanks so much for any advice or shared experiences!
Risa

[Posted in FML 5647]