Hello,
I just thought I would put my two cents in here to try to help because I
have received so much help when I needed it.
 
Anyway on to business, I have two ferrets 1 to 2 years old living in an
apartment with me and my fiance'.  And on the issue of rather caging them is
cruel or unusual I have this to add.  Our ferrets are both allowed the run
of the downstairs most of the time we are home, The house has been about 99%
ferretproofed so they cannot get into anything truly dangerous.  And so they
usually leave our sight and run about, but inevitably after about an hour or
two we can find them voluntarily back asleep in their cages!  (the front
door of the cage is left open so as they can return for food or water as
necessary when they are out and about).  There are exceptions of course, if
a lower clothing drawer (or upper for that matter, it just takes more effort
for those) is left open they can sometimes be found in there sleeping.  I
believe they think of their cages as THEIR HOME and they feel comfortable
there, kind of like their little private place.  Today to my surprise I even
caught "beep" (the two year old female) in the small carrying cage we use
when taking them to the park!  (bear in mind if you will that this cage is
almost six feet off the ground on top of their regular two story wire cage
which was elevated to prevent them from climbing the sides) So for one it
looks like back to the drawing board for anti climbing of the cage and it
also appears that our ferrets at least do not in the slightest mind being in
their cage.
 
I hope I have been some help, if anyone needs advice on ferrets and
apartments or just ferrets in general please let me know and I will pass
along what information I have.
 
p.s.  for all you apartment dwelling ferret owners, here is one last parting
thought for keeping your ferrets locked up when you are not at home.
Picture the following if you will, your ferret is out and about in the
middle of the day you are not there and a "scheduled" inspection of your
apartment is preformed by the maintenance inspector who comes in your front
door and leaves it open to bring in his equipment and then seeing the small
animal considers it like a dog and ignores it as he begins to open all of
the under counter doors in the kitchen bypassing all of the child safety
locks much to the ferrets pleasure, but the fun is not over, he now opens
the water heater room and drops small while M&M size balls on the floor to
prevent condensation and fungus.  And last but not least he removes the
ferret barrier leading upstairs to get upstairs to check the fire alarm on
the balcony that overlooks the living room.  I hope that scared you at least
just a little bit because it sure did me when it happened to me.  Thank
goodness all fuzzies safe and accounted for and no little white balls in the
water heater room molested or missing.
 
                                Ruben G. & Jen too
 
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[Posted in FML issue 1597]