>I am currently in research mode with plans to adopt two ferrets in
>the first half of next year.  While thinking this through, I've been
>considering what it would take to ferret proof the house and what
>areas of the house I can safely allow them access to.
>
>One worry I have is our stairs and landing area on the second floor.  We
>have a catwalk and from there, a ferret could fit through the railing
>posts and jump/fall 8 feet.  My husband's attitude is no animal is
>stupid enough to do this, but I'm not so certain.  Do ferrets have a
>tendency to try and jump from areas higher than is safe or get so busy
>playing they don't notice they could fall?...
 
Well, I wouldn't say that NO animal is too dumb.
 
The problem with ferrets is that most of them are pretty fearless.  Also,
when they are playing and running full speed, wrestling, etc, they are
apt to not be paying attention and could slip through the railings, etc.
You kind of have to use the same logic as you would with little kids.
You wouldn't say no little kid would be stupid enough to fall down the
stairs-you monitor them and put up barriers so they can't.  I don't let
my ferts run around my parents upstairs unattended b/c they have a setup
that sounds like yours, with the open railings over the two flights of
stairs and landings.  If I lived at my parents house or had a set up like
that, I'd consider installing some decorative paneling of some sort over
the existing railing supports (I think punched tin or copper would be
nice) that they could not climb (i.e. wire like cage sides or decorative
chicken wire would be bad) to prevent them from slipping through.  Or
wood or building a solid half wall or whatever.
 
But definitely don't assume that ferrets wouldn't be stupid enough to do
that! :-)  I've seen cats with fractures at our clinic who have fallen
off of/through similar areas, and they're supposed to be graceful/agile
for the most part-ferrets are anything but graceful.  And they don't
judge distances very well, either, so 8 feet may not seem so bad to them;
my Nicky would jump from just about anywhere if we let him!  (A far cry
from the little kit who was afraid to even get too close to the edge of
the bed that was only a foot off the floor two years ago!)
 
Dooks,
-April
 
"There's nary an animal alive that can outrun a greased Scotsman."
-Groundskeeper Willy, "The Simpsons"
[Posted in FML issue 3975]