Hello Everyone,
 
Well, finally, a topic I know something about!  I have had ferrets since
1989, and I have always lived in apts.
 
The best way to have ferrets in an apt.  is to find a place that allows them
and to specifically write them into the lease (usually a pet adendum).  This
is the safest legal way to go.  In my current apt, the manager does not like
my ferrets (well, specifically, she stated she never would have allowed that
many--5); however, the previous manager wrote all 5 of them in the lease, so
the current manager has to put up with it.  I cannot be evicted because of
the ferrets.  I DO have a pet deposit on them, also.
 
I have lived in places that did not allow/know about the ferrets.  This is
always a problem, especially if it is an apt.  If you are renting from an
individual (as I was doing), I had to hide the ferrets every time they came
over.  Luckily, in this situation, they always had to give us notice they
were coming (it was in the lease).  However, it is rather hard to hide a
very large cage, not to mention the smell and various litterboxes.
Unfotunately, I had problems with my roomate, and so I had to get the
ferrets out of the house before she could tell the landlord and get either
me or the ferrets evicted--I had to do without my babies for 5 months.  The
problem is if the ferrets are NOT on the lease, and the owner doesn't want
them, they have the legal right to evict either your or the ferrets or both
because you are in violation of the lease, especially if the lease
specifically states "no pets".  I would not want to go through this again.
 
Because of this experience, I ALWAYS find an apt that will allow the
ferrets.  Sometimes, it is VEY difficult as most places don't allow ferrets,
or will only allow 1.  Under no circumstances would I move into a place that
specifically prohibits them.  Usually I say, "I was thinking about getting a
ferret because they're really cute, and would this be okay?" when I am
viewing apts.  Sometimes the answer is an adamant "No, and we WILL evict you
if you do because we've had a ferrret before that did ______".  Then, I move
on.  Once I got "Well, if we don't know about it, it's okay....".  This
place did allow other pets, so I did consider it, but when you think about
all the trouble to hide the ferrets from the maintenace people (who WILL
report you to management as I found out with my first apt) or the bug people
or the owner yearly inspection tour, to me, it's not worth it.
 
You should be able to find a place if you are diligent enough.  Sometimes, I
have had to call/go to 50 apts to find one, and it is even harder to find
one I like/ can afford also (For example, when I was thinking of moving to
Phoenix, I discovered that Phoenix seems to be a unfriendly to ferrets apt
area.  Out of 100 calls, I found 1 apt that would allow ferrets.  In
Orlando, however, I found 1/20 that allows them).  It does save a lot of
time if you call around and ask if they allow ferrets.  You can also try the
apt finder services--those are usually free as the apts pay them to find
them tenants.
 
Good luck on your apt. search.
 
Kathleen and the 4 bouncing fuzzballs
Auryn "But mom, I really thought your wallet was a toy when
I hid it under the couch and you couldn't find it before an all day trip"
Zoom "Please pick me up--NOW"
Courtney "Okay, if you really WANT to pick me up, wait, is that
ice cream I smell? Lick, lick"
Tiye "Look at the neat trick Auryn taught me--ankles are yummy"
[Posted in FML issue 1786]