The last ferret that we adopted about 4 months ago is really
destructive and I am at a loss for what to do. Our ferrets have their
own room in our house, and when we are home and awake they had full run
of our house. I'm a housewife that means they spend a limited time in
their cage. Because of McCartney's destructive behaviour we have had
to make it so they are no longer allowed in the upstairs part of our
house. They have plenty of toys, but he would rather destroy things. He
has destroyed our carpets (we live in a rental so we can't switch to
hardwoods), clothing, and towels. Additionally he plays really rough
with our other three ferrets and will draw blood when he plays with
them.

We have given him every kind of toy to play with that you can imagine,
we have eliminated their time in cage (they spend no time at all in
their cage unless they voluntarily go in there to sleep), we have
tried time outs in a smaller cage when his behaviour was bad, we also
tried scruffing, hissing and all the usual things. Yet the behaviour
continues and never ends as he seems not to need the same amount of
sleep as any of our other ferrets and he rarely sleeps. I really don't
know what to do anymore and I'm open for any ideas and suggestions, my
husband and I are worried that no matter how hard we try our home might
not be suitable for him as he might be the type of ferret that needs to
be in a 1 ferret home as he also doesn't seem to be bonding well with
the other three.

Jessica Branch
"Never let go of hope. One day you will see that it all has finally
come together. What you have always wished for has finally come to
be. You will look back and laugh at what has passed and you will ask
yourself... 'How did I get through all of that?"

[Posted in FML 7863]