To Brad re: how did Tasha get into the kitchen cabinet?  The kitchen
is my ferrets' favorite room.  All those cabinets filled with stuff
just waiting to be dragged out.  Also, it's their favorite storage
area.  I'm always finding dog toys and other assorted objects in with
the pots and pans.  One of Norm's favorite challenges is to make it up
to the kitchen counter and play with everything on it, before I
discover him.
 
My guys get into drawers from underneath (how they squash themselves under
there, I don't know.) And they get from the bottom drawer to the top
drawer from behind the drawers.I have all the top drawers taped shut with
duct tape, because that's Norm's main access to the countertop.  Now they
figured out the lazy susan cabinet, and get up to the counter that way.
 
If Tasha can get out of a cage, getting into a kitchen cabinet is
probably easy (though I'm surprised she couldn't get back out.) Anyway,
I'm guessing she gets in from below somewhere.  At some point, you may
see a little nose poking out from below the cabinet and you'll know her
secret.
 
Re: kids and ferrets
As with any pet, I'd say a lot depends on the child.  I don't like to
see very young kids with cats or dogs either, unless the parents are
*very good* about super- vising them.  A lot of little kids are way
too rough on animals, and I think many of the bites and scratches that
kids get were probably from teasing the family dog or cat--but who
gets the blame?  usually the pet.
 
My nephew loves my ferrets.  He likes to be chased by them, which gets
the ferrets very excited and they nip his ankles.  He thinks it's fun,
and he happens to be very good around animals.  Some kids might not
like it.
 
I don't think any pet should be the sole responsibility of a young
child.  And some kids are much better with animals than others.  When
I was at a ferret show last year, there were several kids who were
carrying their ferrets around with them all day.
 
Can you spend some time with your son around someone else's ferret
(maybe babysit one for a weekend) and see how it goes?  I really think
it can vary greatly with the child and with the animal as well.  Good
luck!
 
--Cinderella, Norm & Ralph's mom
Cinderella, Princess Ankle-biter
Norm, Fearless Conqueror of the Kitchen Counter
Ralph, Curator of the Squeaky Toy Collection
[Posted in FML issue 1124]