To the person who asked about leaving a ferret in a cage in a basement next
to a furnace:
 
I'd be worried about the furnace.  If for some reason it ever malfunctions
and emits carbon monoxide, it could kill the ferret.  I have heard that
small animals/pets are even more susceptible to CO poisoning than humans.
Depending what kind of furnace it is, you might even have a fuel leak and
particulate matter all over the basement.  That happened when I was a
teenager, and a guy from the utility company said I was lucky I hadn't
gotten sick.  My room was in the basement, and the kleenex into which I blew
my nose literally turned black from the oil-laden soot that filled the air.
I wouldn't expect a small animal to respond well to this kind of shock.
 
What's wrong with keeping the ferret in a cage on the first floor when
you're not home?
 
Linda
[Posted in FML issue 1698]