Okay, I read the Ferret FAQ on the Web, and I assume there is one for this
list as well, but I haven't seen it.  However (being a newbie to this list,
please be nice <g>)
 
I have two Ferrets, each about 12 weeks old.  I bought them in a pet store
in Virginia last week, because I absolutely fell in love with them (and,
they seemed to like me as well, especially crawling up my sleeves <s>).
Unfortunately, it looks like my contract in Florida has been extended until
at least the end of summer.  (I thought for _sure_ I would be going home
this week.) Right now they are in Maryland, in a big ol' cage in my living
room with tons of water and food and stuff.
 
I come home every weekend, but I _hate_ that I have to leave them alone
together for so long.  The airlines won't fly them down here (except Delta,
and I rarely get Delta -- I have no final choice in flights or carriers),
and no one up there can take care of them (I live alone).
 
I tried to give them a self-feeding feeder (the kinds that hold a ton of
food in an upside down bucket and spill it out when the tray empties, but
Sandy (the _very_ playful male) emptied the entire thing onto the cage floor
overnight!  They have plenty of water (in 3 water drip-thingies in the sides
of the cage) but I am still worried.  I filled up several food dishes (which
they don't dig in) and left that for them.
 
Has anyone else ever been in this situation?  What did you do?  I absolutely
love these two (a male and a female, both fixed), but it's unfair to them to
be cooped up in a cage all week (even though it is a big cage).  The guy in
the pet store told me they will be absolutely fine, but after reading the
faq, and these messages, I tend to doubt that.
 
Sorry to be so wordy :-)
 
Pete Brown
[Posted in FML issue 1635]