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 to try
cheering 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?  Of course, this is the room with MANY
electrical cords (10 behind the bed alone).  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 got
years ago for my dog, which has heavy plastic tubing covering the cord.
That is sort of what I had in mind, but can't find.  (Or could ferrets 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]