hi, I was wondering if I could submit the following anonymously to the
ferret mailing list:
 
I recently acquired a female ferret from someone who could no longer keep
her.  The problem is, I live in a state where ferrets are proscribed, and
I can't really find any information on their care and upkeep.  She's a little
less than a year old, I think.  Her favorite foods appear to be raw eggs
(I haven't found any other protein she likes yet), fruit, and bread.
 
Currently she has free run of my house much like a cat would (except my
bedroom...  I quickly learned it's no fun being wakened by a ferret burrowing
under the covers :-)).  She's certainly the most inquisitive animal I've
ever had and I can appreciate an earlier contributor's comment about being
the only source of entertainment for a young ferret, but her irrepressible
natural curiosity and tendency to chew up soft, foam-type articles have got me
to sadly contemplating building her a cage.  What type of cage or environment
do the rest of you keep your ferrets in?  What sort of toys or entertainment
can you provide for a caged ferret?  Is it even advisable to cage them?  I
mean, I'd cage something like a rat, guinea pig or a rabbit, but certainly not
a cat.  I'm not sure where a ferret fits along this spectrum.  Seems to be more
on the cat end.
 
She is paper trained, but I haven't had any luck trying to go from paper to
a litter box.  Unfortunately, sometimes she isn't exclusively paper trained
and will find other places to go.  (Another reason I am contemplating a
cage :-()
 
Any tips or suggestions that can be offered regarding her care would be most
welcome and appreciated.
                                                                          
[Posted in FML 0145]