Gordon mentioned that since it is winter and the ferrets can't go out
on the porch, that they have to spend their days in the cage because
they get into the furniture. Well being a ferret mom for 20 yrs
I've found a simple solution for that. I just take the legs off my
furniture! Also, I only buy couches that are low to the ground so that
I can remove the legs and you don t even notice. I also inspect all of
the seat seams to be sure that no ferret can wedge down into the couch
either. I had an old couch that they were always getting inside of even
after I removed the legs, so I used Great Stuff to seal off all the
areas they could get into under the cushions. Wasn t very pretty w/o
the cushions, but you'd never know when they were on! As for my box
springs of my bed, well all I did was rip the lining off the bottom.
Nothing for them to climb up into so they don't bother w/it anymore -
OR you could cover the bottom of the box springs w/plywood. I suppose
you could do the same thing w/the couches - which I have also done in
the past - so that I could leave the legs on. We have no recliner type
of furniture here! And I've made cardboard and duct take barricades
around the undersides of the cupboards as there were areas they
could climb in behind the cupboards. They are all now completely
ferret-proof! So maybe, Gordon, you could get some plywood and cover
the bottom of that furniture they like to burrow into, and if they
aren't really nice, brand new pieces, Great Stuff works GREAT for
sealing those crevices under the cushions! - heck, maybe duct tape
might work too. Never tried it as I've always made sure I bought
ferret-proof' couches after the Great Stuff ones! They say it's
like The Force! I use it all the time for other areas!

Oh, and a funny story when I got my last set of couches. They are
pretty low to the ground, so I could have removed the legs, but I
figured I'd try something else. As the delivery guys were pulling off
the plastic coverings and putting the legs on I asked them to stop.
Then I went and got a box cutter and cut all the bottom lining off the
couches! They just stood there in shock and amazement and I striped
that stuff right off! I told them I knew this would probably void any
warranty, but I had ferrets that liked to rip holes in the lining, then
climb inside so I was gonna give this a try. They looked at me like
"Ok, lady, whatever" then went back to putting the rest of the couches
in place and I overheard them saying something 'Well THAT'S a new one!"
It was pretty funny to see their faces as I attacked that lining tho!!

Just wanted to share how I keep my ferrets OUT of my furniture while
still letting them roam around the house to make deposits in the
corners!

Dawn, Socrates, Romeo, Alexander and Simon

[Posted in FML 6176]