For Kim,
Didnt you know that ferrets teleport?  They do this when our backs are
turned and that is how we don't see them scampering out the door.
 
Armed Services --
we need a campaign.  If everyone would send a copy of Ferrets Magazine or
Modern Ferret, preferably the one with Sean and Rocky in it to any bases
located in their state, we would have a start.  Then maybe someone could
find out who the honcho at the Pentagon was who classified ferrets as "zoo
animal" and we could inundate him with magazines and ferret faqs.
 
Fleas --
in the old days, before good flea protection for any animal, I used to dump
the cat flea solution into a glass.  I would then dip a flea comb in the
solution and comb it through my ferrets' coats.  The fleas died fast.  Then
a quick and thorough bath to wash out the eggs and larvae.  It worked.  Of
course, we also deflea-ed the house and sprayed the foundations where fleas
come in.  Rugs were shampooed, as was furniture, bedding was stripped and
washed in hot water with bleach, both human and fert.  We somehow managed
to keep it all under control that way.
 
Cages--
my boarders arrived with a four-floor condo with solid plastic floors and
holes with tubes to go from one layer to the next.  Also, the owner had
bought little padlocks, and left the keys in them, to padlock the doors.
The catches on these doors are rather weird, just a part of the door like a
lip that pushes back under a part of the cage.  Well, these two little
smarties, figured out that if they hung by their teeth and bounced up and
down, they could open the doors.  With the padlocks on, they still got out.
Solution, I ran a length of solid plastic tubing (about 1/2" on diameter,
which used to be the pole part of a cat toy) horizontally across the cage
doors.  This pushed the doors in solidly enough that they cannot squeeze
through. :>)
 
There are times when the foster kids have to be caged, but not often.
Mostly, they just run around the livingroom which is their room.  Even the
new arrivals have learned to stop at threshholds and not teleport through
the doors.  Rebecca, the boarder, is still herding the dogs through from
the back door to the living room gate.
 
Isn't it amazing that these wonderful little loves are so much smarter
than we are ?  Makes one wonder sometimes.
 
Cheryl of the Critterpen
[Posted in FML issue 3477]