Jaden, and the rest of the FML:
 
Don't feel too guilty about keeping the weasels caged, Jaden - do what you
have to.
 
My family and I have run into this problem ourselves.  With our first child
Alex (now almost 6), we were initially more concerned on how HE would treat
the ferrets.  As it has turned out, two of our three are playful foot
nippers - and this is painful enough for a 5-year-old to give him reason to
occasionally be fearful of all three ferrets.  Thankfully the third ferret's
placid behavior helps offset this somewhat.
 
However, a few months ago, we had our first incident in which Alex was
bitten in the face by one of the two female ferrets.  The bite was
unprovoked - the ferret was playing on the floor, Alex sitting on the couch
watching TV.  Since then this has happened several times with the same
ferret - biting to the face or upper body after the ferret climbs up his
clothing.  Granted, Alex does not help the situation - his instinctive
reaction is to push the ferret away, which the animal regards as play and
thus resumes nipping.  The only practical recourse in this situation is to
separate the two and return the ferret to its cage if its behavior resumes.
 
And now, we have a new infant to consider (7weeks).  The two females are
insatiably curious about the baby, always climbing up to sniff away.  So if
Jason's up and the ferrets are out, one of us has to hold the baby or stand
guard!  (We are not going to allow even the possibility of a bite incident
with an infant.) This means the ferrets' play time is even more restricted,
between the extra work we need to do for Jason and our lack of flexibility
in when we can let the ferrets out.  Which means they are even more agitated
when they DO get out!
 
The net result is that the ferrets were getting 1-2 hours of runtime per
day, and that's slipped quite a bit.  There are days that the ferrets don't
get out at all.
 
We feel guilty, as you do, about a situation like this - no one likes to see
the critters caged extensively.  At least the guilt shows an awareness of
the situation.  But there are practical matters to consider in any
household.  The well-being of our children, the layout of our house, and our
own schedules dictate when or if the ferrets get out to run.
 
Of course we feed them, clean up after them, keep up their vet schedule, and
give them treats and hugs every day.  But if the current situation requires
that they live in their cage for a while, then that's the way it has to be.
We love our ferrets, but we - and you - have lives, too.
 
The alternative is three ferrets needing new homes, and one less family
willing to care for and play with them.
 
Chuck & Amy Staples
and the 3 jailbird weasels
[Posted in FML issue 2128]