How long would you guys recommend waiting after having new carpet
installed before allowing ferrets on it? Here's the situation:

We had new carpet installed in our basement on July 7. Now, there is a
window down there and it has been opened ever since. Plus, for most of
the day, the door is open so there is a pretty decent air flow through
there. Our cats spend a lot of time down there. The 'new carpet smell'
is pretty well gone to the human nose at this point.

We're getting new vinyl installed in our upstairs here in the next few
weeks (I think it'll be at least a month out from getting the carpet
put in the basement - is that long enough?) And the 'big cage' will
not fit in the basement, the door is too narrow. My plan is to take
it outside for the duration of the install (it needs a good cleaning
anyhow) and put down the mat for the big Marshall's playpen and set up
the playpen for the ferrets in the basement. We're talking about 4 days
(2 for the install and then Carpet One said to keep the animals off the
floor for 2 days because of the chemicals used to seal the seams) Of
course, I'll put all sorts of blankets, toys, food & water bowls and
litter pans in for the ferrets to use. This is a finished basement
(lol, I'm not locking them in a dark, dank, dingy place!) and I will
be spending time down there with them.

How long is long enough to be safe re: the carpet?? They won't be on it
(mat for the playpen) but still, the odor... PLUS - is 2 days after the
vinyl install enough? The carpet place said it was but I want to ask
the ferret community, as I doubt anyone at the carpet place has ever
owned ferrets...

Thanks in advance for any help/info/advice you can give me! Reply
either on or off list, but if replying off, make sure there's something
about 'ferrets' in the subject so my junk filter doesn't eat it.

Thanks again!

~Tammy - a.k.a. Kesrael

[Posted in FML 6404]