I enjoyed the post about dark sleep boxes and would like to share the
following:
 
Our four favorite fuzzies (house ferrets, all) own their own ferret house.
A friend of ours built a "miniature" house for them from 1/4 inch paneling.
It's 22 inches long, 18 inches wide and 19 inches high and has a pitched
roof (one side of the roof is hinged and raises up).  It has one 2 1/4 inch
hole on each end (one placed slightly higher than the other).
 
I keep a heating pad (set on low) in the bottom.  On top of this is a
folded-in-half kindergarten rug (the striped nylon kind) that prevents
the pad from radiating too much heat.  On top of that I fluff a full-size
cotton sheet (in summer) or a flannel sheet (in winter).  They are free to
come and go as they please.  There is plenty of room for five ferrets to
stretch out full length.  They love it and we really enjoy watching them
slink in and out.  Another thing that they like about their sleep center is
that they don't have to mow the yard every week.  Of course they never soil
their sleeping space so maintenance is simply washing the bedding weekly.
 
Our friend even made one for my oldest son who also is owned by four
frolicking ferrets.  Since he has house cats he places a small bowl of TF
inside his guys/gals house and it's safe from feline marauders.
 
pathfinder
[Posted in FML issue 3017]