Dan,
    With regards to taking the little fuzzies camping; I have never taken
my little ones, Buddy and Basil on a back packing trip, but i did take
Buddy and his then-companion Holly <who had a terrible accident :`( > on a
car-camping trip with me, and they had an absoutely WONDERFUL time.  My
girl friend and I watched them both the whole time, and kept them on their
leashes for obvious reasons.  They seemed to realize what was happening,
though, since they didn't try hard at all to get out of the leashes, as
they always would any other time.
    When I wasn't riding them in the canoe (attached to me and my life
vest by a leash) or following them in their joyful explorations, I kept
them attached by leash to my tent pole.  Food and water were right inside
the tent, and I left the flap open for two reasons....first, so they could
smell the neat-o smells and lay in the dirt if they wanted, and two,
because I rented my tent from my university, and the flap didn't close :)
    Anyway, when it got dark, we tied their leashes in the other end of
the tent, away from the door, and prayed.  I woke up quite a few times
during the night, but neither ferret moved from their places in the
sleeping bags, and things went great.  As far as taking them backpacking,
you might think of getting a little mesh bag to put them in and attaching
it to some part of your pack where it won't swing and bounce.  If it's
hot, you can wrap some ice in a towel and put that in with them, for drink
and coolness.  You'd have to be VERY careful, obviously, but I think if
you're not going too far, or it's not hot, your little fuzzies would LOVE
the trip, and, for me at least, their enjoyment of something transfers
straight to my amusement and happiness :)
        Good luck!
 
Matt
[Posted in FML issue 1265]