Hi,
 
I have been doing research on getting a ferret of several months.  I found
a local breeder/shelter that I wanted to deal with (Lori Sies, Cincinnati).
She seemed very knowledgeable and helpful.  I arrived planning on getting a
new kit, she had several.  However, when I got there she also had a rescue.
The ferret was a approx. 1 year old male sable.  Somebody had been putting
cigarettes out on the ferret.  Even given this mistreatment the ferret
seemed to have the sweetest disposition.  As I held this fairly large male
for the first time it crawled up to stare at me between the eyes and then
slurped my nose.  Needless to say all thoughts of getting a kit vanished.
The ferrets name was "Casanova".  I immediately understood why.
 
After doing immense amounts of research on which cage I had settled on 2,
either Martins or H&S design.  Lori had a new type of cage that I had not
seen before (I have since seen an ad in MF issue 22 for one that looks
similar).  The cage is 2 story with full floors.  The floor wire is a much
finer mesh.  The supplied litter box runs 1/4 of the bottom of the cage.
The litter box is also removable through its own door.  There is also a
slide out tray under the rest of the cage.  I was very pleased with the
cage.  They also have a 3 story with a top shaped like a roof that I really
liked but it was to large.
 
We have two problems.  First is the name.  My son who is 15 threatens to
leave home if we call the ferret "Casanova".  I had wanted to name the
ferret after one of the fire lizards from the "Dragon Riders of Pern",
however my wife is not to keen on that.  So the name is in still in doubt
(Typically my wife wins).
 
The second problem is when to change the litter.  The litter box is quite
large.  We are using a reprocessed newspaper litter (Lori had to ferrets
eat wood pellets and die).  The ferret religiously uses one corner.  Can
I just scoop that corner in clean the whole box once a week?
 
Bruce R. Voorhees
Senior Engineer
SCH Technologies
895 Central Avenue
Cincinnati, Ohio 45202
 
Phone: 888-SCH-OPEN
Fax: 513-579-1064
[Posted in FML issue 2697]