>They also dug holes in the carpet - we no longer have a carpet, it's
>much easier that
 
This seems like a good time to remind people of the joys of chicken wire,
rectangular mesh, or office runner in preventing carpet damage.
 
Cut a strip of chicken wire (or rectangular mesh) just wider than the door
frame by about 5 inches, and u-nail it into the carpet under and around the
door.  Bend any sharp things over or cut them off.  The chicken wire sinks
into the carpet pile and is thus less visible than you might think.  This is
needed only with young ferrets in my limited experience.  I have experience
only with meshes, not office runner.  I believe your ferrets will not dig at
carpet intermixed with chicken wire for any length of time, and if they dig
out in the middle of the room where there is no protection they won't dig at
any one place long enough to damage it.
 
I just wanted to remind newbies of this technique, so as to provide more
support for not doing drastic things like declawing your ferrets (which, I
agree with Sheila, is mutilation).
 
Ferret newbies should read the FAQ, if they have not already.
 
Todd Cromwell III, and Dors, La Cazadora de Bottele Plastico (some such)
[Posted in FML issue 2274]