>From:    Jodi Carta <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: Ferret Boredom, Petsmart
>I wanted to get some people's advice on interactive ferret games or
>mind-teasers for ferrets...
 
I have a seven year old single ferret.  I work all day (he mostly sleeps
during this time although he is not caged so he can do what ever he likes
during this time).  Our interactive times are first thing in the morning -
he waits for me to wake up, play a bit and give him a banana treat - and in
the evening before bedtime.  He has always liked being up at night while I'm
asleep.  They are primarily nocturnal so this is natural.  In order to give
him stuff to do and encourage some exercise I pile all of his stuffed
animals up in a big wicker chair downstairs in my living room.  He firmly
believes that these stuffed toys belong at the bottom of the stair well
leading to our garage.  It probably takes him two days to repeatedly climb
the chair, pull down a toy and carry it downstairs.  When he's moved most of
them I pile them all back into the chair again.  I hardly ever see him do
this so I think he must carry on most of this activity at night while I'm
asleep.  He never seems to get tired of attending to this job and the
climbing probably keeps his muscle tone up.
 
We also have favorite play spots around the house.  My ferret has always
liked areas that are tunnel like.  He sleeps in a tent that is next to my
dresser in the bedroom and his food, water and litter box is in the bathroom
off of the bedroom.  I moved the dresser away from the wall far enough that
this has become the ferret highway to and from food and bed.
 
He has a similar area downstairs where he can hang out behind the
entertainment center and the stereo speakers.  That way he can keep an eye
on us in the evening without necessarily having to be seen himself.
 
I also made him a hanging tunnel behind the sofa using the cut off legs of
some jeans sewn together at the wider ends.  This is suspended just far
enough off the ground that it is easy to climb into but is still not
touching in the middle.  Its a good place to snooze or to zoom through.
 
He has a long box of peanuts that he can step off the stairs into just like
diving into a pool. He loves to submerge himself completely and kick
peanuts into the air. It seems to be just as much fun whether I'm there or
not to tickle him.
 
He also has several cloth bags and a wicker "vase" which he likes to crawl
into and hide out to pounce on unsuspecting feet.
 
Personally I think cages are the most likely sources of boredom for a
ferret.  They get no control over when and where they are most of the time
and tend to be caged at times that their instincts tell them to be most
active (at night).  I've had my ferret in three different houses during the
course of his life and he's never found a way to hurt himself while free
roaming in the house.  Of course I've ferret proofed but part of it I think
has to do with learning his environment and growing up and maturing with
lots of choices about where he wants to be.  Most people wouldn't consider
caging a cat so why do we cage so many of our ferrets?
 
Max
[Posted in FML issue 2328]