I have been enjoying the FML for two weeks now, and would like to introduce
myself.  I am Barbara Austin, and I have two ferrets.  My beloved Osie
Ferret died of cancer last month, so two weeks ago I got a nine week old
male, Yancy, to keep my surviving ferret company (not to mention trying to
cheer myself up!) In the seven years I had Osie and Panda (the survivor),
neither EVER showed the slightest interest in electrical cords; so I was
careless.  Two nights ago I was downstairs and both ferrets were out playing
upstairs in my bedroom (also their room), when I heard a "pop" and the
lights dimmed briefly.  In absolute terror, I rushed upstairs, to find the
room black and filled with a horrible burned smell.  I was certain Yancy had
been electrocuted, but it was so dark that I couldn't find him.  Of course,
I was frantically calling out both ferrets' names, but neither came.  Then,
mercifully, I saw a bump under the bedcovers.  It was Yancy, shaking, but
alive!  When I picked him up, his whole little face gave off a singed smell
- leaving no doubt about what had happened.  The next day when there was
light enough to see, I found that he had bitten CLEAR THROUGH AND SEVERED
the cord of a turned-on lamp!  I have no idea how he survived - I'm just
incredibly grateful!  Which brings me to my question: how do I protect all
the cords in the bedroom (at least ten of them)?  I have been to the
homeowners' store to look for some kind of bite-proof tubing to encase the
cords, but don't really know what to ask for.  I have an old pet heating pad
I bought years ago for my dog, which has heavy plastic tubing covering the
cord.  This is sort of what I had in mind, but can't find.  (Or could a
ferret chew through such tubing?) I apologize for the length of this post,
and promise to be much more succinct in the future.  I surely would
appreciate any and all suggestions about how to protect my fuzzies.
 
                                      Barbara
[Posted in FML issue 1479]