Hi, guys -
Our worst gray-haired moment (other than illness) happened last year with
our little Rosie.  She and Shawn were out for their nightly free time.  We
noticed Rosie was missing in action.  Weren't too concerned at first -- we
know her usual hiding places.  But we checked every spot, and no Rosie.
I'm getting upset now, but we keep looking, and standing in each room
listening for her movements.  Once before, she had pulled a loose piece of
the baseboard out in the kitchen and crawled under the sink area, and we
finally coaxed her out with treats and blocked that spot.  I was now
convinced she had found another way under the cupboards, and started to
panic.  What if there was a way outside?  What if she fell to the basement
somehow?  What if she was stuck and suffocating?  We checked the basement,
checked upstairs once again (all doors were securely closed up there).
Now crying, I turned to my husband and told him we had to remove the
dishwasher, because she must be stuck under there.  My darling, non-handy
hubby looked at me and said "I don't know how to take the dishwasher out!"
I told him I didn't care if he took it out with a hatchet, it had to come
out!  My Rosebud was missing!  Before we destroyed the kitchen, we did one
last sweep of the entire house.  I went upstairs and checked each door
again.  I walked by the bathroom, and saw the light shining from under the
door.  She couldn't have squeezed under there, could she?  In 2 years, she
never had.  I opened the door, looked inside, and, in the tub, reclining
on top of my bath pillow, was a very calm, relaxed Rosebud!  Crying and
laughing, I picked her up and hugged her so hard she started squirming!
She has never done that since then -- I think she knew she almost killed
Mommy the first time!
 
To the woman concerned about playtime -- I wouldn't be too worried, I'm
sure your ferrets will be fine.  My husband and I both work, sometimes long
hours.  Whoever gets home first puts Shawn and Rosie in their playroom - a
very ferret-proofed bathroom (hugs to the woman who lost her ferret in the
tub -- it was a mistake, and we all make them).  We often leave them in
there (it's full of toys and towels for sleeping, with food and water)
while we go out to dinner or whatever.  Most nights, they often get about
an hour of supervised free-roam time in the house, but not every night.
They do just great, and I'm sure yours will, too.
 
We must have gotten a whole package of those paper bombs, and they all went
off at once last night.  Shawn and Rosie were in Dad's bathroom, because
the NZ babies were in my bathroom.  Dad forgot to secure the bottom drawer,
where he only keeps several rolls of toilet paper.  Sure enough, when I
went to check on them, the drawer was open, and every roll had apparently
detonated.  The drawer was full of fragments, and both of the ferrets
looked extremely pleased with themselves!
 
Joanne & John
Shawn, Rosie, Seamus & Kiwi
[Posted in FML issue 2986]