I decided to have the ducts cleaned and on Wednesday morning the men came and took off all the vent covers and started cleaning and spraying the vents, well I can tell you some of the things that came out of the vents now explain why I had no air flow, and revealed the favorite hiding place for many of the ferrets treat and small toys, I oftener wondered why I would catch a ferret looking with great intent down the vent and why sometimes I would catch Stormy or Chester madly scratching at a certain vent, I can only imagine there thoughts as they carefully drop there treat for later or hide that really neat toy only to have it disappear down into the gapping hole, there thought on now how do I get it, or the relief that there stash is now safe forever, it also explains why I kept smelling fruit every time the heater kicked on this winter and later a not so sweet smell as the more perishable stashed items got ripe shall we say. But back to the really story, the ferrets were cage while the men worked and at times made comments as to items that were retrieved, at last the vents were done and the cleanup completed, I kicked on the air and wow what a difference, the gate went up and the ferts came out and they to noticed a big difference in the sir that was coming out of that strange hole in the floor, day wore on all is well time for bed, at about 4 AM I was awoken by a clod nose on my neck, I finally woke up to see Stormy on the bed, OK no biggie she escapes every so often I drop her back over the gate muttering be good, and as I climb back into bed having never opened both eyes imagine my surprise to find 3 more ferrets playing madly in the covers, now I am going HUUUUMMMM. So I grab them up and put them in to there room and turn around and there is stormy again, now what the...... I finally decided to turn on a light and there in there room is the cover off the vent and the ferrets are lined up going down in an orderly manner. I give a screech which turns the once orderly line into an every ferret for himself dash.... yes the nice men had put on the vent covers they just did not screw them back down, every vent cover in the house was pop and there was a ferret underground railroad now in operation. Now I need to say on my defense that is was 4 AM I am not an early morning person, and had only been in bed for about an hour, so as I am grabbing ferrets as they appear, I am putting them over the gate to safely, no I did not fasten the vent, like I said I am not the brightest crayon at that time of the morning, now it is a game, it looked like that one at the arcade where you bonk the weasel on the head with the rubber mallet, there are little heads popping up all over and me running back and forth grabbing ferrets by any exposed ferret part I can find, at last the brain kicks in and it is time you drag out the cage and do this thing right, so ferrets are contained and first thing this morning I went to the hardware store and got screws, as I can not find the old ones and the vents are now secure, as the ferrets went back into there room they all made the mad dash to the vent, much digging and trying to scout it open with there noses, at last the realization that there new found freedom had been closed off, as Rascals turned around the look on his face was "Well I as ferret number 12 declare these vents clean" so if you ever have your duct work worked on please check and be sure they reattach the vent covers, this could have been really bad, as it turned out it was just another day where the ferrets for a while got the upper hand. Vent cleaning inspected by fert #12, & 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 & 5 &............. [Posted in FML issue 3056]