Just from my own observations over the past 10 years, I would have
to agree with Betty and Bob Church about what ferrets are trying to
communicate when they dig the couches and carpets.  My first two little
ones c-sectioned the couch and destroyed carpet in front of the doors.
As the years passed, our house has gone from decorating for humans to
accommodating the little furry bodies running around here.
 
Because our backyard is blockwalled, we have been able to make it safe
for the ferrets to play out there (with supervision) and they now leave
the couches and carpet alone.  In fact, nearly all of the destructive
behaviors that I used to think just went with ferrets have disappeared
(along with all the white socks!).  Of course, our flower beds now have
tunnels in them and not many flowers, and when it rains and they get wet
and muddy, they run in the house, climb up on our bed, slither around in
the sheets and then run outside for more mud.  I've grown to love little
ferret foot prints.
 
That doesn't mean they have forgotten the destructive behavior, they
just use it to keep us in line.  We only have so much time to respond
once the little furry ones start lining up at the sliding glass door.
For instance, I have a plant that is on a stand behind a chair by the
sliding glass door.  Pup, my deaf one, gives us about 2 minutes once he
lines up at the door.  He'll do the flat ferret and he'll stretch and
roll around and then he climbs up the chair, puts his front paws on the
flower pot, and pauses so he can look to see if we're watching him.  If
we move towards the door, he beats us to it and does a dance as he
exits; if we don't, he starts digging in the pot.  It's proven to be
very effective and we're very well trained.
 
Seriously, the behavior difference has been an amazing thing to watch
since they have been allowed to dig and tunnel in the dirt, roll and
wrestle in the grass and leaves and play in the wind and rain.  And when
they're all worn out, they straggle in, climb under and through the holes
that I made my husband cut in our new dresser and night stands and curl up
under the dresser and in the drawers, seeking the darkness for their nap.
 
We have 7 furry ones now who have access to digging and tunneling
materials with no destruction of furniture or carpet (and one was a
serious digger when he first came here); our first 2 had to educate and
train us and destroyed a couch and carpet.  Something to think about.
 
Posted anonymously to protect the innocent in CA
[Posted in FML issue 3764]