After much thought, I decided to keep my ferrets when my daughter was on the
way.  However, I did get my Husband to do more of the poop-scooping, or try
to remember to wear rubber gloves when cleaning litter pans, etc.  I don't
know if ferret poop contains that same microorganism that is sometimes found
in cat feces, but better safe than sorry.
 
My ferrets weren't much interested in the new arrival, nor did I see any
signs of jealousy.  In fact, I think it took them quite a while to think of
her as human.  I'd sit her up on the couch next to me, and the ferts would
continue their normal bouncing and running along the back of the couch - if
I hadn't picked her up and held her in my lap, I think they would have used
her as "3rd base!" I didn't see any sign that they were attracted to the
smell of milk, either, and you can bet that baby and I pretty much
constantly smelled like milk for about the first 6 months.
 
However, I would never leave an infant or small child alone with a ferret,
because I DID see indications that some of my ferrets would try to paw at
her clothes or try to scratch her, just as they would scratch at some
unfamiliar object.  I think a baby's eyes could be seriously injured by a
curious ferret, so when I put my child down for a nap, I always made sure
that the ferrets were locked in their cages, and also securely shut the door
to their area.
 
I solved the problem of exercise by building a large ceiling-to-floor cage
in my basement - one of the best things I ever did for my fuzzies.  If
you're renting and don't have this option, you probably should consider
giving up your ferrets for a while.  There's so much for new parents to
learn, it's hard to give ferrets all the attention they had pre-baby.
 
Now that my daughter is almost 3, she's fascinated by the ferrets, and
gets to play tag with a couple of the older, calmer ones.
 
Judith Sanders
[Posted in FML issue 1585]