[Please try to keep your line lengths < 80]
 
Well, I'm finally getting around to posting.  I've been a subscriber to
this list for probably about 5 months now (I've never posted 'till now),
and finally got two wasculy weasels about a month ago.  I'm in a FFZ, so
I had to get them out of state (from a shelter).  Both Diesel and Boomer
are male sables.  They both have free run of my apartment.
 
Diesel is about 3lbs and was 1.5 yrs.  old and fixed when I got him.  He
is the sweetest little guy ever.  He runs around the apartment after me,
wherever I go (especially if I am heading to the bedroom, the bathroom,
or the front door, all of which are off-limits to him...  but he never
gives up trying!).  He is extremely gentle, even when I roughhouse with
him.  He attacks my legs all the time, doing the "Ferret war dance".
I've taken him out to the park a few times, and he's gotten good about
staying on my shoulder.  Diesel is what we called an "FC" when I was
growing up...  "Favorite Child".
 
Boomer is about 8 months old, and was not neutered when I got him.
Boomer's good points are that he is a) beautiful...  a monsterous 4 lbs,
gorgeous big "bear" face b) strong as an ox...  when Boomer squirms to
get loose, he means business...  and when he wants to knock something
over, nothing can stand in his way c) extremely clever in a mischevious
sort of way.  On the other hand, he is not nearly as friendly as Diesel,
and he is *extremely* independent.  He also used to bite (*hard*), but I
had him neutered a few weeks ago, and that combined with a little
discipline has by and large ridden him of this habit.  I like Boomer,
it's just that I don't think he's very interested in me!  Boomer and
Diesel love to play with each other (man are they rough!!), and I, of
course, love watching.
 
Here are some of the things I've picked up over the last month:
 
1) All my behavior in my apartment revolves around these guys.
2) Ferrets sleep a whole lot  (which allows me to rest up from when they're
 awake!)
3) I child-proofed my kitchen cabinets after they figured out how to get in
 there.
4) If you plan on giving your new ferrets free run of the house, do it
gradually while supervised.  Watch what they break/get into, and
re-arrang accordingly.  After a few days of this, you will be able to
think like a ferret, and should be able to clear most things out of
their way *before* they get a chance to get into trouble.
5) They are pretty good with the litter boxes.  I keep two, and move the
boxes to where they like to go.  Even when they miss, it's pretty solid
and comes up without staining the carpet.  If I catch them going in the
box, I give them some Linatone when they get out.
6) I bought some velcro tape at the fabric store and but some on the
water bottle, and then I put some wherever I want in the apartment (or
my office, for when I bring them there), and then I can stick the water
bottle wherever I want!
7) I bought lots of that *very expensive* clear plastic tubing someone
posted about...  they don't play in it that much, they prefer the dark
confines of a $5.00 piece of flexible aluminum tubing to the $150.00
clear maze (so I throw an occasional raisin in the clear tubing, so they
never know what they might find in there...  a little ferret
psychology...  heh, heh, heh :-) )
8) I have been having an ongoing battle of wits with these boys over my
couches.  They discovered how to get into the couches, and made their
homes in there.  I didn't like this, so I ripped the bottoms off the
couches and chair, figuring that would discourage them...  no such luck.
Boomer liked it so much under there I would *never* see him!  Also, I
was thinking how good they had become about using the litter boxes until
a few days ago when I lifted up a couch and found a whole bunch of poop
in the corner!!  My next move was to put cardboard under the couches,
figuring if it was not nice cozy carpetting under there, they wouldn't
stay...  no such luck, they were back under there within a day.  Finally
I had the brainstorm...  and if anyone else wants to keep their kids out
from under something, try this: Go to your hardware store or carpet
store and by some plastic carpet runner...  the kind with the little
plastic spikes on the bottom (normally used to keep it from slipping), I
have seen some for $2/ft, but was able to find soem for $.79/ft which
doesn't have as dense spikes, but works fine.  It normally comes in 27"
wide strips, so you may have to tape two together.  Anyway, I taped them
together and put them under my couches, *UPSIDE DOWN* (that is, spike
side up)...  well, that was just too damn uncomfortable for them, so I
think I finally won the battle!!  I also made them a nice, soft, dark
place to sleep which is more acceptable to me.
 
Anyway, I've been rambling on too long now, thanks to everyone for all
the tips I've picked up from this mailing list...  these guys are more
work than I dreamed they would be, but I wouldn't trade them for
anything!
 
K.B. and the terrible twosome, Diesel and Boomer
 
[Posted in FML issue 0606]