>From:   [log in to unmask] (Susan A. H. Benysh)
>Subject: Flying ferrets
>Date:   Sat, 30 Oct 1993 15:56:19 -0400
>
>Hello, we have a problem that I am hoping that someone
>else has had and can help us alleviate.  Well, we have
>3 pretty docile critters (except during raisan time
>and kill the bag time) who are confined in the
>living room by two baby gates with cardboard on them
>(so they do not climb the grating).  Well, we
>merrily bound over them to get to the rest of the
>apartment, and have been doing so for over 5 months.
>Well, Sparky, our 11 month old male, also wants
>to follow us, so he has taken to leaping. (golly
>Batman, leaping ferrets).  Well, he now jumps up to
>the top of the gate and gets over.  that is fine, excepts
 
I had the same problem with my girl Cassie. I also have a child gate with
cardboard on the 'ferret side' to keep my kids in the kitchen, but after
several months of no problems with this set up I came home one day to find
my bedroom in a shambles (more of a shambles than usual I mean :), because
Cassie had gotten over 'The Wall'. Seems she discovered (through diligent
practice :) that if she kept leaping she could eventually snag the top
and pull herself over. I solved the problem by wrapping a length of card-
board over the top of the partition along it's length, so that instead of
a sharp upward pointing edge at the top for Cassie to snag, there was now
a smooth curve with a downward facing edge. Seems to do the trick nicely.
 
Chris, my condolences on Mocha. I've been behind on my ferret reading lately
and just heard about it. I can only guess what you must be feeling; I can't
imagine being without my precious kids now that I have them. Take comfort in
the memories of the joy you shared with her while you were together.
 
John, Buddy, and Cassidy
 
[Posted in FML issue 0627]