Just in case you don't think these little critters know what is going on
thought I would give you this little tale, which I am sure some scientist
would call it just animal behavior rather than reasoning power
 
Easy Off works verrrry very diligently in the yard tunneling under the
walkway which is bricks NOT concrete slab and each day I go back out there
after they come inside and fill up the holes, which the door to their yard
has glass to the bottom and they can see out.  I sweep the walk with a
broom which stays out there and it never fails when she goes out if that
broom is accessible, she beats it up ferociously.  When I enter after my
sweeping frenzy, she is always having a war dance and acting wild.  Also,
if the housebroom is accessible, it gets terrorized.  I just thought she
had a thing about brooms.  But today I went out and was sweeping and doing
"my" thing while they were still in the yard, she attacked the broom while
it was in my hands.  When I raised it above her level, she raced to the
hole she had just cleaned out from yesterday's devastating damages, faced
me, spread herself out over the hole, glared at me and was slapping those
little white mitts like kittens do trying to catch a string, kinda saying
"mine,mine,mine.  Then up she comes wardancing towards me, then back to the
hole and again flattened herself over it.
 
I don't care we are told animals can't reason, I will always believe she
knew that broom has something to do with putting dirt in her pretty hole
and she knew what was going to happen when I picked it up, but definitely
the brooms fault and/or something to destroy whether I have hold of it or
not.
 
And for you who think ferrets really don't need our attention when they
have other ferrets to play with.  Again today I was working in their yard
while they were playing and I admit I had been running around the past two
days doing errands and then sewing in the evenings where they can get to me
but wasn't playing games with them.  Ammonia, my little blind pest, loves
the outdoors and tunnels with the best of em plus is a darn good wrestler
too but today, she was constantly rearing up on my leg to be carried.  This
yard is only 14' x 24' and I have 4 crepe myrtles.  Do you know what it is
like to make up to her for ignoring them too much, trying to spend quality
time AND do what I want to do, how about trying to trim branches with one
hand on one leg of the handle, the other handle under my arm, and a ferret
under the other arm.  Usually this go-getter wants up for a few kisses and
then is off to the races, today she was content to ride around on my arm
and the others stayed everywhere I stepped.  Oh yah, Real Quality Time!!!
 
I think nothing of the names I have for my pets and I just picture the
ferret I am talking about.  A friend was over going through some books
she wanted to borrow and I was on the phone at the time telling this other
person how Febreze was chasing Cascade, they went under the chair, Ajax
went under there with them, and I heard the worse goings on and thought
it was Febreze getting the worst of it, that Ajax had took up Cascade's
cause - took a little peek and by darn, Ajax was hopping all over Cascade
and Febreze was just watching.  Then I told of the incident of Prell going
after Easy Off and how Dizzy jumped into it for Easy Off.  When I got off
the phone, this party was in stitches asking me if I knew how all this
sounded, soapsuds holding grudges against Drano, blahblah - she was not
realizing the Great Dane is named Drano but anyway she thought the
conversation was hysterical and I though: Hey, you know what - I don't
have a ferret named soapsuds - yet!!!
 
Millie and her pesty, demanding, giving, loving Noble Cleaning Crew
Easy Off:  the most perfect ferret in the whole wide world
Ammonia:  Yah, Sure,   Ms Perfect can throw the perfect temper tandrum
Cascade:  We'll stick around you, Grandma, to ward off attacks from any
          poison ivy or stuff.
Ajax:  Whard everyones go, Da, deres nos ones to sits on.  HAY GUYS???
Dizzy: Come over here Ajax, we're all walking Grandma around in case
      she gets lost, you know, in her condition and all, she's all of 55.
Joy:  Ask me, the woman just needs to get her priorites straight, learn
      to budget her time better.
Prell:  Move over Dizzy, you are crowding too much, give me more room
Febreze: I'm with Ajax, if she wants my time, she can come in my box
         tunnel thingy and play.
Grandma: Nope, 8 is absolutely, definitely, certainly enough.
[Posted in FML issue 2706]