These are ferrets, right?  Small furry animals with a brain the size of
a walnut?  No opposable thumbs?
 
Then would someone please explain how these little monsters manage to
outsmart me every time?  And why I had to go to Petco to buy a parrot
ladder when I own no birds?
 
When I first moved into my mobile home, I thought if I put the cat dish
on top of the freezer (a small, about three foot high square one) the
ferrets would not be able to get up there.
 
Ha!
 
So I became resigned to the fact and just started feeding everyone the
same food.
 
The problem is there is a space between the wall and the freezer.  A
small space.  Maybe a half to a full inch wide.
 
And the ferrets could get back there.
 
Which I didn't want.
 
So I stuffed a towel (more attractive ferret home decor) in the gap and
everyone eventually just gave up.
 
A year later, I decide I'm tired of the towel and remove it.  The
ferrets, I say to myself, probably don't even remember how to slide
back there.
 
Again ha!
 
The second I remove the towel (quietly and with great stealth), all eight
ferrets appeared as if from out of nowhere and tried to get back there.
 
How could they of the small brain possibly remember?
 
So I spent the day dangling thick socks and hand towels down in the
space so they could climb back up.  All day.  Every ten minutes or so.  I
would sit down to eat when I would hear the tell-tale scrabbling.  Walk
the dog.  Come back to scrabbling.  I don't want to put the towel back.
They ripped up the cardboard I try to plug the gap with.  They shoved
aside the heavy board I put there.  Scrabble, scrabble, scrabble until I
thought I would scream.
 
Which is why I ended up a Petco.
 
Because the little buggers have won again.  The back of my freezer now
sports a parrot ladder (mostly rope) so that, when they fall back there,
they can now just climb up, paw over paw, and repeat, without any
assistance from me.
 
anne
[Posted in FML issue 5148]