Do you leave some of his waste in the litter box so he knows what it is
for?
You probably already do that basic, but it is almost all that I could
think of offhand.
Some people safely scent bedding (for example w safe types of essential
oils that are allowed to dry fully or with food flavorings like almond,
vanilla, rose water, etc.). Doing that causes some ferrets to be less
likely to go to the bathroom in it, but that can sometimes backfire if
the ferret decides it is the scent of an intruder, depending on the
ferret. You can decrease the backfires by wearing the food flavoring as
your personal scent or scenting favored toys with it so that it is not
considered an intimidating scent. (Heck, women in many area have long
ago (or even now) used such scents as their own. It was done by some
when my grandmother was young. That, rag curls, brushing 100 strokes
(which is to redistribute oils os that hair can be washed less often
and done with filmy and absorbent cloth pushed through to the base of
the bristles if the hair is too oily or dusty or both, etc.) Some food
flavorings stain, so be careful on that score. For example, restrict
vanilla extract to the base of your hairline in the back in low
amounts. Yeah, there was a time in the long past when I used that and
almond when I had a boyfriend who was wild about those smells... BTW,
some years ago (10 years or so?) some men were tested to find what
scents or scent combo they found more appealing on a woman. A
combination of vanilla and cinnamon was what had the most appeal.
Whoda guessed it, huh?)
Is this ferret intimidated by the others?
---
Apartment: you could scent your place w some safe versions of essential
oils, or you could look into an air cleaner like you mentioned. Watch
out for the electrostatic ones. They can irritate lungs due to
producing ozone. There is info on that in the archives. When you use a
hepa filter one remember that the scents are removed by the charcoal
filter which has to be replaced or washed (depending on filter) more
often than the hepa filter. We use Enviracaire hepa filters ourselves
since they were most highly recommended by my allergist and my
dad-in-law's pulmonologist.
Ferrets themselves smell less if they are not washed too often, but
bedding can hold odors so needs more often washing.
Your neighbors sound HORRID!
---
http://www.aecom.yu.edu/home/news/PRdetails.asp?isPR=1&id=372
(Claire requested.)
---
With multiple housing building fires a person must respond to the
emergency in minutes. Think PILLOWCASES unless you already have a
better system in place. Have a carrier all ready, and have your escape
routes, but also know that the fastest thing you usually can stuff with
supplies to help you and them (meds, foods, etc.) is pillowcases. Just
speaking as someone whose building had to be evacuated but luckily the
fire (caused by a repair person) was soon under control.
On the other hand, a friend could not save anyone but himself in his
house fire. All he could do was to try to remember where his (2nd
story) window was an run through it because he woke surrounded by
flames and smoke.
Emergencies vary a lot in how much warning a person gets. When there
are ones where there can be warning and evacuations then take them
seriously. It pays to know your neighbors! (BTW, knowing ones neighbors
also reduces crime rates because the ones who bond watch out for each
other and provide their own little version of Neighborhood Watch and if
enough do so then a real neighborhood chapter can be started with with
local police.) Towns and counties also have ways to help those who do
not drive when emergencies occur but you may need to search a bit for
the right numbers.
BTW, I also don't drive.
Sukie (not a vet)
Recommended ferret health links:
http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/ferrethealth/
http://ferrethealth.org/archive/
http://www.afip.org/ferrets/index.html
http://www.miamiferret.org/fhc/
http://www.ferretcongress.org/
http://www.trifl.org/index.shtml
http://homepage.mac.com/sukie/sukiesferretlinks.html
[Posted in FML 5711]
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