Hi fuzzbutt lovers!
 
Just wanted to add a few ideas for some asked questions.
 
Mark <[log in to unmask]>:
I live in St. Paul, MN, and my family lives in Iron Mountain, MI.  I
frequently need to take my fuzzies with me when traveling.  A trip to visit
the folks generally takes six hours and then we visit friends from college
in Chicago, dragging the little fuzsters all the way.  They gennerally sleep
the distance.  We have a tendancy to stop every two hours to stretch all of
our legs.  In the winter, the little ones love playing in the snow at the
rest stops.  In the summer, they run through the grass and play with pine
cones.  I guess what I'm trying to say is keep the air temperature controled
within the cab of the vehicle and make plenty of "stretching" stops.  It's
pretty rough on them when they are stationary for so long.
 
Nikki <[log in to unmask]>:
It has been a long time since I have had to deal with the BOX problem.  But
I will try to offer you some hints.  The way we worked with our fuzzies was
to put them in a carrier or box with REALLY high sides (something that
reduced the amount of space).  We gave them room to eat, sleep, and poop and
that's it.  We gradually increased the amount of space in their confined
area when they proved that they would use their box at least 90% of the
time.  Using this method you need to get them out of that area frequently.
I am a person that is very big on excercise for everyone.  When we used this
method one of us was home at all times so it was easy to remove them from
the box after they went poddy.  We generally let them out after they had
been awake for fifteen minutes.  This gave them time to use the box, drink
water, eat, and use the box after eating.  They were then allowed free rome
of a room that was "ferret proofed".  This worked for 4 of the 5 youngins
that we have had.  We have not gotten another young ferret in over a year
because we don't have time for this anymore.  These ferrets have done the
routine so well that they habitually use their box when they think that it's
time for them to go to the play area.
 
Hope this helps some.
 
Brenda and the fuz gang
[Posted in FML issue 2313]