To Kristen Herzog concerning snow.  Martha & Snowball love it also - albeit
I'm sure we don't have nearly as much here in Nebraska.  I too was concerned
about taking them out in the cold weather, but my fears were allayed when
they enjoyed it so much.
 
To Robert Fein concerning discipline.  Consistency has paid off for me.
 Keeping Martha & Snowball away from digging in my potted grapefruit tree has
been a challenge.  Initially I responded with a thwack on the butt coupled
with a stern NO and a light toss to another area of the room.  Next was the
stern NO coupled with lovingly picking him or her up and re-depositing the
offender in another area.  Their short attention spans helped tremendously...
 they found something more acceptable to get into.  Lately, the stern NO is
sufficient for either to move on to something else.  The learned behavior is,
 "When the plant police are in the room, stay away."  They now ravage the
plant only when I'm not in the room.
 
The same technique worked well with Snowball's insomnia.  With Dad & Martha
both sleeping contentedly, he would start clawing at the cage & tearing up
its carpeting - usually around 2 or 3 in the morning.  When awakened by the
racket, I calmly got out of bed, removed him from the cage, and put him in
the old cage - away from food, water, & carpeting (and Martha) until my alarm
went off at 6 a.m.  That cage is in my clothes closet and I shut the door
behind me and went back to bed.  No scolding... in fact I rarely said
anything (the cage does have a towel he can curl up on).
 
In the morning when I let him out of solitary, I sweet-talk him while I let
Martha out (both get to play in the bedroom while I shave, shower, etc.).
 After ten nights of religiously following this proceedure, Snowball no
longer claws at the cage or carpeting in it while I'm in bed.
 
Neither of my kids are biters.  However Martha, while kissing me,
occasionally would bite my lip.  A light smack on her snout cured this after
three incidents.  I've always let them train me, i.e. What are your needs?
 Here are my limits.  And I've been consistent as well as patient.
 
As to snuggling, I do it on their terms.  There are times when they want to
be petted, scratched, held, baby-talked to.  And they have their way of
letting me know that.  At other times, they would rather do something else.
 Good luck.
 
To Rick Mooney concerning the overwhelming response you received:  Ever since
Paul Hogan arrived in Hollywood, we Northamericans have had a fascination
with anything to do with Australia!  The thought of ferrets in Australia adds
a whole new perspective to "Put another shrimp on the barbie" and "G'day
mate!"  Glad you're here Rick, and by the way, a copy of Ferret News (Omaha)
is on its way down to you.  Enjoy!
 
As I've mentioned here before, I'll mail a copy of Ferret News to anyone here
who e-mails me their snail mail address.
 
Regards,
Lee Donehower
[Posted in FML issue 1029]