>My one ferret keeps getting up at around 5am and digging and scratching
>at anything that will make a lot of noise, especially her litter box.  She
>likes to flip it over and dig at it.  I have no idea why she keeps doing
>this, and I can't get her to stop.  She is driving me crazy and I haven't
>slept though the night in quite a while.  Can someone please help me?!
 
It drives you nuts, right?  You get up at 5am to make her stop, right?  And
so you are giving her attention, maybe not exactly the kind she would like,
but it is attention none the less.  They are great at learning what it
takes to get attention from their somnolent owners.  I have one that tries
to wake me up on the weekends (when I sleep in some) by
1.) knocking the lamp off the nightstand
2.) nipping me under the covers
3.) moving litterboxes and other things around and more.
 
I don't give her attention, positive or negative, when she's doing that.
She tries all her tricks.  I won't give her attention until she is behaving
better.  My problem is that her tricks, the noisy ones, have elicited
responses from me when I don't want her to wake up my baby.  If they worked
once, a ferret will never forget it.
 
I suggest fastening, taping, or whatever the litterbox.  She's got your
attention with it before.  She'll keep trying.  Also, give her something
not so noisy to focus her attention on.  You can also try tiring her out
the night before.  Make her tired so she will sleep late and give her lots
of love and hugs when you get up.
 
Good luck!
 
-kim, pippi (Queen of Thieves), atlas (boy of braun), jinx (the
demanding one), and rosie (the weasel of speed)
 
Kimberly Burkard     |             _    Everything I needed to know in life,
Eastman Kodak Company|      _____C .._. I learned from my ferret:
Rochester, New York  | ____/     \___/  Frolic and dance for joy often, have
[log in to unmask]    |<____/\_---\_\    no fear or worries, and enjoy life.
[Posted in FML issue 3060]