I have, at one point or another, called either or both of my ferrets (Fuzz
and Mario) the following:
 
Little bears, little bugs (b/c of "bug-eye" look), imps, baby monsters,
monster babies, evil weasels, The Terrors.
 
The weirdest thing I call them is "the gators" because of the carpet gator
game they like to play with me.  As I live in an old Philadelphia
brownstone, my apartment is long and narrow: perfect ferret dimensions.  The
"ferret room" is in the back, with the living room at the front.  If I'm in
the living room when they wake up, they will slink on their bellies through
the entire length of the apartment, not appearing to move but getting
incrementally closer to me, until they've reached the couch, at which point
they "attack" and jump all over me.
 
Another game they like to play which I only just discovered last night is
making the bed.  I've never tried to change the sheets with ferrets IN the
bed before, but I'm going to put them in the bed on purpose when I change
the sheets from now on!  They had a great time inchworming and hopping,
trying to kill the sheets which had suddenly gained a life of their own.
Martha Stewart probably wouldn't approve, but it's lots of fun.
 
One final note: I was kind of disappointed to read the demographics on
ferret ownership.  Here I thought I was being original, a white middle-class
single professional woman living in the city AND NOT HAVING A CAT!  (gasp)
Now I know I'm just conforming to a different norm.  Oh well.
[Posted in FML issue 1382]