I have seen several requests from new ferret owners for advice on all
aspects of owning a ferret, including ferret-proofing the home.  Some time
ago I put together a list to give to some of our local vets and pet shops.
 
DANGERS
Ferrets were born to get into mischief, and with that sometimes comes
trouble.  But here are some guidlines to help keep your ferret out of
dangerous situations.
 
* Know the whereabouts of your ferret before leaning back in that lounge
  chair; ferrets like to curl up inside of lounge chairs, where they can
  easily be crushed.
* Check the inside of that dishwasher before starting it up.  A
  dishwasher that is left open may seem to a ferret like a secret hiding
  place; never assume that he couldn't have gotten in there.
* Search through that pile of dirty clothes before dumping it into the
  washing machine or hauling it off to the laundry; your ferret may be
  sleeping in there. Baby ferrets would be even harder to notice within
  a pile of clothes and would be sleeping even more soundly, so check
  carefully.
* Check the inside of the clothes dryer and washing machine before turning
  them on.  Even if your machines are not front loading, don't assume that
  your ferret couldn't have found a way to climb on top of them and jump or
  fall in; it never hurts to check, and you could be very happy that you did.
* Never let your ferret outside to play unsupervised.  Even if your yard is
  fenced, don't assume that he won't find a way out; he probably will.  If
  he has a tendency to run off, keep him on a leash.  This could avoid his
  being lost in brush, hit by a motor vehicle or attacked by another animal.
  This could also avoid potential problems should your ferret encounter
  people who are not familiar with or tolerant of ferrets.
* Even when your ferret is on his leash, be very careful of approaching
  dogs.  All it takes is one snap from an unfriendly canine to seriously
  injure or kill your ferret.  Don't assume that a small dog cannot be
  dangerous to your ferret.
* Do not leave your bathtub full of water when you are not present to be
  sure that your ferret will stay out of it.  Again, don't ever assume that
  your ferret cannot find a way to get into your tub!
* It's also a good policy to keep the toilet lid down to avoid the
  possiblity of your ferret falling into it.  He will find ways to climb
  onto things that you never thought he could; he will make a ladder out of
  a magazine rack, a waste basket, a large sized child's toy, a pile of
  clothing, etc.  It's far better to be safe than sorry.  Wherever there is
  an accumulation of water, take extra precautions.
* Don't leave buckets of water standing around.  A bucket is always a
  curious thing for a ferret to investigate, and if he can, he most often
  will attempt to climb into it.  Of course one must also be very careful
  with buckets full of paint, chemicals, fertilizer, etc.
* If possible, close off your utility room, not allowing your ferret access
  to it at all.  There often are many hazards to the ferret in the average
  utility room, from containers of chemicals and detergents to laundry
  machines, and many ferrets have escaped out of the house via the clothes
  dryer vent.  If he does not pry the dryer hose loose from its attachment
  to the outside, he may very well scratch or bite a hole in it, enabling
  him to climb into it and then exit out the wall vent.
 
When you have visitors who are not in tune with the ways of ferrets, it is a
good idea to keep an especially close eye on him and possibly keep him in a
more confined area temporarily.  Visitors might be careless about leaving
doors open and may not be aware of or consciencious about all the
precautions that you take to keep your little pet safe.
[Posted in FML issue 1724]