It's been six months since we ferret-proofed our backyard and started
letting the crew have outside playtime a couple times a day (with
supervision, of course - no flames).  They dig, they build tunnels from
stepping stone to stepping stone, they bounce on the pool cover, they
inspect every inch of the yard and never seem to get bored.  They play in
the rain (my bath-phobic little devils) and dance in the wind, especially
my deaf one, I've noticed.
 
What has me intrigued is how much their behavior has changed, specifically,
the behavior that most of us have always accepted as "ferret" behavior.
They no longer dig at the carpet or shred the toilet paper roll.  We can
now walk out the front door without one of them making a mad dash to try
to escape.  There is a lot less time spent searching for "lost" items.
 
When I had my first two boys ten years ago, I took them outside, but always
on a leash.  Their behavior was what I always believed was typical ferret
behavior - two little sock stealing, demolition experts.  I have five
furballs now, two that I purchased and three little blessings that have
joined us for various reasons.
 
Rusty, the little guy who was found wandering around in a condominium
complex, has changed the most dramatically.  When he first came, he spent
most of his time hanging around doors that led to the great outdoors.
Based on this behavior and the fact that he had already successfully
escaped at least once, you could assume he was consumed with a desire to
escape.  When he wasn't hanging around doors, he was digging at the carpet.
I have a feeling he was in trouble a lot for the digging at his former home
because if I walked toward him when he was digging (and sometimes when he
wasn't digging), he would look up with the most pitiful look and back away
like he knew he was in big trouble.  In fact, that pitiful look bothered me
so much that I made it a rule in our ferret kingdom that Rusty was not to
be scolded or reprimanded for digging.  Okay, actually, no reprimands for
anything, he was to be distracted in the hope that interaction with people
would become positive rather than negative.  I must say, before Rusty was
convinced that he could play outside and dig to his heart's content every
day, there was a lot of distracting going on here!  He is now a ferret to
die for.  No digging the carpet, 100% litterbox hit rate, and the only door
he hangs out at is the sliding glass door to the backyard.  And most
importantly, he now walks toward an outstretched hand instead of backing
up with that look of fear.
 
So, as I observe the changed behavior in all five of them, I wonder is it
frustration that causes some of their destructive behaviors?  These guys
have the sand box, rice box and all the bells and whistles to entertain
them in the house.  The only time they are caged is at night when we are
sleeping.  They have their own room for when we're at work, and when we're
not at work, they have free roam.  They all still had varying degrees of
destructive behaviors before the free outside playtime came to be.  Maybe
it's as simple as they burn up a lot of energy playing outside, or maybe
they like having the choice of going in and out.  Whatever the reason, the
changing behaviors have been fascinating to watch.
 
Hey, I need something to think about when five little furry heads line up
at the sliding glass door at 5:30 in the morning and wait for me to turn
the flood lights on and get my cup of tea so I can sit out on the patio
no matter how cold or wet or dark it is.  And sometimes when I sit there
shivering with half opened eyes wondering if MY behavior isn't just a
little crazy, I see two of them wrestling on the grass, two of them chasing
each other through their tunnels, and little Sparky who had zero muscle
tone when she came to us, climbing up my robe to sit on my lap.  Maybe
crazy isn't so bad.  As I look into Sparky's eyes and share my tea with
her, I think maybe sitting and drinking my tea in a warm house and getting
an extra hour of sleep before work would not be nearly as rewarding.
 
Posted anonymously to protect the innocent in CA
[Posted in FML issue 2967]