Free roam ferrets don't necessarily get more exercise than ferrets that
have out-of-cage play periods.
 
Ferrets play when they are let out of their cage... often quite
exuberantly.  They wardance and snoop as though they've never been
free before.
 
A free-roam ferret, whether "free-roam" is just a room or the entire house,
considers it's entire roaming territory to be his "cage".  The single room
free-roaming ferret will generally wardance & snoop like crazy when he's
let into the rest of the house.
 
Yes, free-roam ferrets will have active periods during which they will romp
and tussle.  But these periods are noticeably less intense and shorter than
ferrets that are released from a cage to play.
 
I generally recommend at least overnight caging for young (under 2 years
old)ferrets.  (Keeps them out of trouble, too.) And I always recommending
caging for first-time ferret owners.
 
Debi Christy
[Posted in FML issue 3456]