Hi.  My name is Jen and it's been a long time since I've posted.  I have
to say I think using a cooler as a ferret "cage" in warm weather is a
really bad idea.  You can't see into it to notice if something's wrong.
The ventilation will be poor, no matter how many holes you put in it.  It
will be dark inside.  And it won't necessarily be COOL, it will only be
insulated.....so if it's a hot day, with no ventilation.....you get the
idea.  Even the ice packs you might put in a cooler could probably be
dangerous, as a ferret might bite or scratch the covering, and the goo
would leak out.  They say it's nontoxic, but I wouldn't eat it, so I
wouldn't give a weasel a shot at it either.
 
I suggest these options, if air conditioning is not available- You can
take one- or two-liter soda bottles, fill them ~3/4 full with water, and
freeze them solid.  Get two or three made, and then you can cycle them
over a couple days, keeping one frozen one in the cage during the day.
If the furkids overheat, they can "snuggle" up to the frozen bottle.
 
Also, you can wet a towel and then wring it out so it doesn't drip, and
then drape it over the top of the cage.  The process of evaporation
requires energy, so as the towel dries, it will cool the area nearby
(the cage).
 
Just some ideas.
 
Jen
 
R.I.P.   Casper, Kona, Gorby, Nova
[Posted in FML issue 3790]