I have ferret proofed my house. Looked at/in/up/down/all around
EVERYTHING. The not so safe areas are closed off.

The kitchen/bathroom cabinets have lovely dowels running through the
handles making it imposable for ferrets to open. Nice.

I have Bizzy, a tiny little thing, less than a pound. She named
herself. She has two speeds, fast and faster. She also levitates.

Yesterday I noticed 3 ferrets standing on their hind legs looking up to
a dinning room chair. The chair is oak, with round rungs from seat to
back rest. In between two rungs was Bizzy, head and front legs through,
body resting on seat. I tried to gently remove her, and soon realized
she was *stuck*. Very seriously stuck. She stopped moving, open mouth,
was she even breathing? Ran to the garage, grabbed the first thing I
thought would pry the rungs apart.

One rung split, but the wrong direction, I couldn't get any leverage on
the other. Back to the garage for the biggest hammer I could find.
Whacked the rungs for what seemed like hours, had to break two, but I
was able to get Bizzy out. Her little chest was compressed, and she was
blue. I blew into her mouth, and then remembered Sukie's *gentle cheek
puffs*.

Bizzy coughed, and started to come around. Took her to my vet, by the
time we arrived she acted as if nothing had happened. X-rays showed no
damage, and no fluid build up in her chest.

Folks, I measured the area where she was stuck. ONE HALF INCH. The area
above is almost one inch where I think she first got her head and legs
through, then in her struggle had slipped down into the very narrow
area.

I try not to dwell on the *what ifs*.

For Sale
Oak dinning set, six chairs.
One slightly damaged by 15 ounce ferret and hammer.

Ardith
with many more gray hairs

[Posted in FML 5617]