My husband had written that, but that might repel the ferret, so use
ferretone/ferretvite, and trails of ferret food leading to the house,
and treats that he likes in a trail.  Good luck and keep us posted.  Put
signs up on all the telephone poles/trees in the neighborhood, and say it
is not a wild animal, it is a friendly pet so nobody tries to hurt it.
[Posted in FML issue 3390]