Hi all, I couldn't help wanting to give my advice when reading of
everyone else's attempts to build good cages.  I think the best resources for
building small animal cages are books on rabbit caging, especially those of
Bob Bennett.  With no experience, some wire mesh, and a supply of metal clips
known as "J-clips," you can build any size of a sturdy cage complete with
a ferret-proof door, partial or complete divisions, and a tray that slides
out for easy cleaning.  Yeah, I know ferrets shouldn't be kept directly on
wire floors, but just slightly modifying the cage design or simply attaching
a solid floor over the wire will take care of that.  You can even get creative
and sink the litterbox into the floor, build modular units that can be
taken apart and reattached in different ways when you get bored, etc.  I think
the title of the book I'm thinking of is "Building Rabbit Caging," and there's
also a good section in "Raising Rabbits the Modern Way" (both by Bob Bennett).
Personally, I always preferred making my own cages to buying them premade, for
the money you save and the flexibility it gives you (plus that wire mesh that's
left over lets you build another cage in a hurry when you just happen to find
that poor fuzzy who really needs another home badly...)  By the way, these
cages are exactly the same as Safeguard's, which I saw recommended by someone
else.
 
        I do have a question for everyone, too.  I've seen a lot about people
taking their ferrets for walks, but when we try to do that with our Kindjal,
he completely freaks out by being outside!  He gets a bottle-brush tail and
will just run full-out to the first house-shaped object he sees.  So far we've
had him out for around fifteen minutes or so, and he hasn't yet given this
up.  Has anyone else had a ferret that was that scared of new places?  Any
advice from the masses?  We'd really love to take him places, but we don't
want to give the poor little creature a heart attack or anything!
        Thanks - Jessi (hey, who's been in my bag?) and Kindjal (ha-ha-ha,
socks!  calculator!  gloves!!)
[Posted in FML issue 1087]