Theresa & Doug --- in answer to your 3 questions:
1 - YES they get up every few hours to climb off the bed and go relieve
themselves.  This is sort of like a volcanic explosion - one minute a
peacefully snoozing warm lump - then suddenly a wide awake ferret shaking
himself (and the whole bed)!  Then they climb back on the bed & curl back up
into a warm lump again.  This can happen several times a night.
 
2 - The only ferrets who couldn't climb onto the bed (and ours is pretty
high) were the ones that were very old - like 9-10years or so.  And we made
sure they were off the bed before we left - and brought them up onto the bed
with us when we were there.  The only time a ferret has had an "accident" in
the bed was when Sethra was still able to come up and down but very slowly
(she was about 9 then), and sometimes she'd wake up & not be able to get off
the bed in time.  This was tolerated because of her age, and the fact that
it's a king-size bed and she slept in the middle of it.  We just put a
plastic bag under her "spot" and washed the sheets.  (She lived to 11 btw).
 
3 - I doubt a ferret can go more than about 2-3 hours without "relief" ---
never heard of one "holding" it til morning!  Remember, they have rapid
metabolism and very small bladders!
 
<<<<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>>>>>>>FLO UPDATE<<<<<<<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
From Agent Drifter DarkWeasel and Judah
We have scored another victory!  Soon we hope to be adding a 3rd member to
our cell!  Our human has agreed, and we are only waiting to hear if his
transfer orders go through from his base in GA.  We have gone from a
stalemate (2 FDI / 2 FLO) to VICTORY (1 FDI / 3 FLO) in 2 short weeks! (do
we get medals for this????)
DOWN WITH THE FDI !!!!
[Posted in FML issue 1492]