All relationships take work.  Couples have to work to keep their
relationship alive and in the comfort zone.  Each party may have to make
adjustments to keep the relationship thriving.  Living with a companion
animal is no different.  To some it may seem that the human is always the
one to give with ferrets, that simply isn't true.  The ferrets give too.
 
An important point is that ferrets are ferrets and humans are humans and
priorities are different.  Ferrets priorities include living, loving,
playing and eating (o.k. so this one might be the same for some of us).
I won't go into human priorities because they vary widely and
may be different for each person.  But few humans have the same priorities
as ferrets and that might be where the problems begin.
 
Ferrets jaws are extremely strong. When they play with each other they'll
grab tightly and roll yet when they play with us soft humans they soften
their grip and tend to let go quicker on that roll.  To some this might be
minor but the fact remains that the ferret is giving into humans in this
case.
 
Ferrets adjust to our schedule.  Caged ferrets wait patiently while the
humans do their humanly things, go to work, take care of
family/friends/ourselves, some necessary things, some selfish things, and
yet ferrets are thrilled when one takes the time to let them come out to
romp and play and get a few cuddles now and again.
 
Do YOU think a ferret LIKES being in a cage 20+ hours a day?
 
Or do YOU think a ferret would LIKE to be out and about 20+ hours a day?
Who is giving here?
 
Ruining furniture isn't what a ferret tries to do.  But sometimes it just
happens.  When they scratch on furniture it is to get into the furniture.
They don't know they are causing damage.  That's a human thought, not a
ferret thought.
 
Snoopy is old and blind.  His favorite bathroom place is the big dog
pillow.  No matter how many times I gently put him on the paper, he
scrambles to find that pillow again.  I have no idea why he likes to
potty on that pillow but I'm sure in his ferret mind there is a very
valid reason.  I wash that pillow more times than not.  But it is a minor
inconvenience in life and not one that causes any turmoil to me.  Snoopy
won't be here forever and I'm willing to give in this situation to keep
him content for the time he is here.
 
My group is free roam.  They don't always hit the papers but it only
takes seconds for me to clean up the misses.  Not anything I'll get my
panties in a huff for.  They track in dirt from the back enclosure, but
you know what, I was going to mop the floor anyway so it's no big deal.
They spread the shredded newspaper all over the living room but I kinda
like it that way some days and on the days I don't, well I just scoop it
up and put it back where it was to begin with (can't say belongs cause
obviously it's my idea that it belongs in the box and their idea it
belongs on the floor).  As I scoop it up I remember the fun they had
spreading it out.  I guess we both give a little here.
 
Life's little inconveniences can be worked through without ruffling any
feathers.  It's all in how you look at it.  Looking with love makes all
the difference in the world.
 
Hugs to all. tle
Troy Lynn Eckart, F.B.S.
Ferret Family Services
http://www.ferretfamilyservices.org
http://www-personal.ksu.edu/~sprite/ffs.html
http://www.geocities.com/Petsburgh/Haven/5481/
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[Posted in FML issue 3870]