Hello everyone,
 
Well after my 3 week trip across the country I should be an expert at ferret
proofing hotel rooms.  I didn't like the idea of leaving them in their cage
since they were in their cage most of the day while I drove and I wanted
them to get exercise while they could.  Airconditioning/heating units are
your worst problem.  If your hotel room has two rooms, or at least large
bathroom or huge walk in closet type area, I recommend seperating the
ferrets from the room with the AC unit.  If not, duct tape is your best
friend.  Now this usually means that you have to make sure to leave the
AC/heat off (if the area close to the ground that you are sealing off is the
only source of air intake for the machine).  So I would turn off the unit
and tape it shut with a lot of duct tape.  Only one time was the unit
slippery and the tape wouldn't stick to it.  The other thing you have to be
careful of is that there are no holes along the baseboards - especially
behind the bed where you can't see them.  These can also be easily taped.
My girls almost always found a way to get into the box-spring, but it was
easy enough to get them out.  Be careful though of beds that are on a wood
box frame that they can get into somehow but you cannot reach into and pull
them out.
 
One last warning - be thorough.  One time Monkey got into the base of the
hotel safe!!!  and she was having a very difficult time getting out.  It was
a small metal safe on top of a metal base that looked solid from the front.
If I had reached my hand around back though, I would have seen that it only
had three sides (the open side was facing the wall).  It was less than an
inch away from the wall and Monkey squeezed in and then was having trouble
getting back out.  She kept uselessly trying to dig at the carpet to make
the opening bigger, but she did finally squeeze through.
 
Love and Dooks,
 
Rebecca,
 
Monkey "Well Mom the safe is for all your valuables and aren't I the most
valuable thing in the world?"
[Posted in FML issue 1824]