Michelle, I just wanted to share our solution to the kid-gate climbing
with you or anyone else interested. At our local home improvement
warehouse store my husband bought very thin sheets of almost opaque
textured plastic. One sheet, cut to fit, was more than enough to fit over
the entire ferret-side surface of the gate. We punched holes in the
plastic and used heavy-duty plastic ties to hold it all together. Now our
girls don't even try to climb it anymore. Every once in a while I will
accidentally put it on the door backwards without thinking. Moments later
I will see someone loping around and worry for an instant that they have
discovered a way over!
 
Regarding the ferret with the rubber-band around it's neck. One morning I
thought Charlotte looked a little funny. I picked her up and she had the
plastic ring from a jug of milk around her neck! I had given them these
as a toy never thinking their heads would fit through! I know cats who
like them as toys. We had to cut it off her. She is into sticking her
head in small places. Once she stuck her head in a toilet paper roll tube
so far she couldn't get it off on her own. She ran around like a nut
until my husband could catch her and help it off.
 
One more quick thing. Charlotte and Kitka don't at their bowl.
They pick up as many pieces of Science Diet as they can and run behind
something. You can hear them chomping. They drop pieces en route, but
almost always go back for them. I hope they don't feel like they have to
store food. They have never run out of food. Is this just a hoarding
instinct? They NEVER eat in their cage at their bowl unless the cage door
is shut.
 
Thanks all,
 
Paula
Charlotte & Kitka
[Posted in FML issue 0974]