This was posted last year & is well worth printing out & tacking to a
bulletin board, or laminating & hanging on the side of the cage:
 
 ...BUT HOW DO YOU HEIMLICH A FERRET ?
 
I grasp him by the scruff of the neck and cradled him in the crook of my
left arm with his head turned to the side.
 
With my right hand I located his breastbone I made a fist with my thumb
extended and placed my thumb approx. 2" below his breastbone (by using a
closed fist and only applying my thumb I was ensured that I would not
squeeze him) and thrust upward toward the diaphragm.  I did this 5 or 6
times with increasing pressure and finally out popped a piece of whole dry
food.  BTW it was Iams kitten food.
 
He immediately took a deep breath and regained consciousness in about 1
minute.  He was then quickly rushed to the animal clinic and examined and
given a clean bill of health.  We did put him on antibiotics for 7 days
just in case he aspirated a small piece of food.
 
I realize that this procedure could have resulted in severe internal
injuries but the alternative was definitely a dead ferret.
 
 --
Bev Fox
North Coast Ferret Shelter
Serving Northeast Ohio
http://www.oberlin.edu/~liroff/ncfs.html
 
end of original post
 
Spoiling all the fun:
A really sneaky way to prevent your darlings from re-arranging objects
(lamps, figurines, coasters, ashtrays) and/or shoving them to the floor
to hear (or feel) the crash is to anchor them in place with floral putty
(available at craft & hobby stores and at WalMart Supercenters).  It's
similar to the "Fun Tac" that you stick up posters with but it's much
stronger.  Fun Tac is not strong enough to be safe.
 
Put a GENEROUS amount of floral putty on the bottom of the object.  You
don't want it to ooze out the edges where some curious fuzzy might try to
taste of it.  It it easily strong enough to prevent lamps from falling...
even when fuzzies tug on the the cord (or humans trip over it!)...
 
 ...you can use clear packaging tape to tape the electrical cord to the
table leg and down to the carpet..
 
if you've got wire chewers you can cover electrical cords with the wiring
harness stuff used on cars... you can get it dirt cheap from your local
wrecking/salvage yard or buy it new from large parts stores
 
Visitors to my home are invariably shocked when they try to pick up a
(stone) drink coaster.
 
Debi Christy
[Posted in FML issue 3484]