on 1/15/03 3:00, Diana Ashton wrote:
 
>It onlt took a matter os seconds for Parker to scurry into the dryer
>practically under my nose.
 
Diana,
 
I am so sorry for your loss and your terrible tragedy.  Don't beat
yourself up too hard, accidents like this are always waiting to happen,
and it's a miracle they don't happen more often.
 
I live in constant fear of something like this happening to my babies.
One thing that gives me some peace of mind is keeping bell collars on all
my ferrets.
 
One of my guys did get into the dishwasher once.  He was running around
the kitchen while I was loading it.  I knew he was there, but was
distracted by talking to someone and didn't notice he had climbed in.  I
shut the door, then heard his bell inside, thank God!
 
I've also had a ferret try to slip out an outside door now and then, and
the bell gives me a warning.  I also keep a small ID tag on each collar,
so in case one of them did manage to get outside, the collar would
indicate that the animal was a pet, not wild, and the ID tag would let
anyone know where the ferret belonged.
 
I keep the collars loose enough so that they can slip off if they get
hung up on something, which does happen occasionally.  But I wouldn't be
without bell collars; they've prevented numerous incidents in my house.
 
Nancy and critters
[Posted in FML issue 4029]