With previous ferrets I've had the problem that they learned to
get into the bathtub before they could get out of it. This week,
Natasha learned to make the 60 cm jump while gaining 20 cm needed
to get in from the laundry basket. Alison can get out, but not
in. But none of them does this very often, only when they're
strongly motivated. The late Ishtar never had any problems going
either way, and she could climb up everywhere. Maybe they're just
lazy? In that case I'll have problems the day they _really_ want
to dig up my bonsai and other plants.
 
Alison got stuck under a 70 ton boulder yesterday. There are lots
of small rocks I let them crawl under as far as possible, but
this one has a large crawlspace and I try to keep them from
getting in too far. But with two to take care of, the attention
strays sometimes.
So there I was, with a ferret just out of reach in a narrow
passage, holding the lead to prevent her from getting further.
For some reason, she wouldn't come out that way, and pulling on
the lead didn't work. Calling to her, I saw that she wanted to
come out, so I just had to gamble and release the lead, and to my
great fortune, she didn't go further in, but went around the
blocking rocks and out through another exit. Clip her to the same
lead as Natasha, disconnect and pull out the other.
 
I've solved the problem with Natasha wanting to sleep in the
litter box in the bathroom. I put a shoe box in there in another
corner, and sure enough she went there straight from the litter
box. Another good thing with it is that Alison likes it too, and
isn't kicked out of it; so they sleep together more now.
--
 Urban Fredriksson  [log in to unmask]  [log in to unmask]
 
[Posted in FML issue 0456]