Hi there,
 
I recently got a new ferret, named Tempest because my room tends to look
like a small typhoon hit it whenever she decides to go on a redecorating
binge. (Ok, so my room tends to look that way without any help at all from
creatures mustelid, but at least I know where stuff *is*...) A tempest is
also defined as "A great excitement over trivial matter" - sound familiar? :)
 
Anyway, she has taken to climbing up on my short nightstand and knocking
items cheerfully off the top of it. I have been shouting NO at her when she
goes on this particular ledge, since I like to have stuff (like my inhaler)
there in the middle of the night if I need it. Anyway, one time when I shou-
ted NO she bounced off of it, looked at me with pure indignance and spite,
and in a huff she marched straight over to a tall box on top of which I had
placed my handbag so she could no longer get into it. She got this "I'll
show you!" expression of determination, and then she expended much energy
on leaping up from her hind legs to try and hook her front claws onto the
top of the box. Finally she managed, and with every last bit of will in her
she pulled her little body up onto the box. Shooting me a look of triumph,
she made a beeline for my handbag and dived into it.
 
Sigh...
 
Now it's on a higher box... but I am not sure she won't get there eventually
too! She is truly a wonderful and capable ferret, with much better problem-
solving abilities and much longer attention span than Wednesday and Rodden-
berry (in NY, whom she has yet to meet - I can't wait!) She is very impres-
sive when she drags items to her "den" - it is really cute to see large boots
and umbrellas being dragged along by this teeny creature. (It was less cute
this morning when I couldn't find my umbrella to go out in the rain). She
is very well toilet-trained, and she comes and cuddles against me at night
on my futon to go to sleep. She is a playful little sweetie and I am happy
to have adopted her!
 
Cheers,
Pyrophage
 
[Posted in FML issue 0830]