>Well we have had Oakley with us for about 3 weeks now and it finally
>clicked to me 2 days ago that he is deaf.  Don't flame me for being a
>dummy!  I have never been owned by a deaf pet before so I am slow!
 
Cindy,
 
I don't think discovering that Oakly is deaf within three weeks is slow at
all.  Sounds to me like you have done a great job at discovering his
deafness rather quickly.
 
Here's a trick for the carpet digging since you say he has a favorite spot
that may work (then again, it may not -- but, it sure can't hurt).
Sometimes with ferrets, out of sight is out of mind.  Cut a large square of
cardboard and use duct tape to tape it down to the floor over his favorite
digging spot.  That may discourage him from digging in the spot.  Of course,
it may just induce him to dig at the duct tape in an effort to get to his
favorite digging spot.  Regardless, give it a try.
 
Here's another suggestion for you -- learn how to repair carpet damage
yourself.  It's really not as hard as it sounds and can come in handy.  Go
to a carpet shop and get a 3 or 4 foot square piece of carpet and some
double sided carpet tape or carpet glue (I prefer the tape myself).  Here's
what you do:
 
-- Cut about a 1 foot wide strip from the carpet and set it aside.
-- Attach the remainder of the carpet to a piece of cardboard or thin
   plywood with the double sided tape.  This is your practice "floor."
-- Cut a hole in the carpet.
-- Using a fresh utility knife blade, cut a section of carpet from the 1
   foot wide strip to match the dimensions of the hole you have cut in your
   practice "floor."
-- Carefully place the repair plug into the hole, making sure to match the
   direction of the carpet nap.  Once you are satisfied that you have a nap
   match, carefully remove the plug and set it to one side.
-- Using the double-sided tape, apply it to the underside of the carpet on
   your practice "floor." This can be a little tricky, so be patient.  Be
   sure to leave at least 1/2 the width of the tape exposed around the edges
   of the hole.
-- Carefully replace the plug into the carpet (being sure to match the
   direction of the nap!), and press down on all four sides.
-- Place a weight over the repair patch and wait (24 hours is best, but an
   hour should do.)
-- Remove the weight and using an inexpensive brush or even just your
   fingers, brush and fluff the edges around the patch into each other.  You
   should have an almost invisible patch -- a lot will depend on the age of
   the carpet and exact color match of the patch.
 
Of course, if that fails -- or if you are just unwilling to try a carpet
patch repair yourself (it really isn't as hard as it might seem and can
save lots of money in repair bills or security deposits) -- remember this,
foot lockers make wonderful coffee tables and can also hide a multitude of
sins :)
 
Good luck
 
Scott and the Mustilid Mob
[Posted in FML issue 2322]