Chris--
        I am glad to hear that you are not a machine, especially as one
cannot be too sure when computers get involved in things.  This is a
response to the query on potty training from #205 (?).

        We have two ferrets which usually reside in a large cage and have
no trouble using their litter boxes while in the cage.  When they run
around the house however, they seem to be unable to track down where they
should go to find a litter box.  When we got our young ferret recently,
she arrived with suggestions for potty training which basically amount
to always placing the ferret into the box when he firsts wakes up to
orient him on the location.  Then, whenever he fails to use the box, clean
up the unfortunate result and spray the spot with bitter apple, which I
found in my nearby pet store.  So far the results are that they do not
use an area with bitter apple sprayed recently, so perhaps overtime it
will lead to their developing a sense of direction back to the litter box.

        Good luck.   Mike Ochs

[Posted in FML 0208]