All relationships take work. Couples have to work to keep their relationship alive and in the comfort zone. Each party may have to make adjustments to keep the relationship thriving. Living with a companion animal is no different. To some it may seem that the human is always the one to give with ferrets, that simply isn't true. The ferrets give too. An important point is that ferrets are ferrets and humans are humans and priorities are different. Ferrets priorities include living, loving, playing and eating (o.k. so this one might be the same for some of us). I won't go into human priorities because they vary widely and may be different for each person. But few humans have the same priorities as ferrets and that might be where the problems begin. Ferrets jaws are extremely strong. When they play with each other they'll grab tightly and roll yet when they play with us soft humans they soften their grip and tend to let go quicker on that roll. To some this might be minor but the fact remains that the ferret is giving into humans in this case. Ferrets adjust to our schedule. Caged ferrets wait patiently while the humans do their humanly things, go to work, take care of family/friends/ourselves, some necessary things, some selfish things, and yet ferrets are thrilled when one takes the time to let them come out to romp and play and get a few cuddles now and again. Do YOU think a ferret LIKES being in a cage 20+ hours a day? Or do YOU think a ferret would LIKE to be out and about 20+ hours a day? Who is giving here? Ruining furniture isn't what a ferret tries to do. But sometimes it just happens. When they scratch on furniture it is to get into the furniture. They don't know they are causing damage. That's a human thought, not a ferret thought. Snoopy is old and blind. His favorite bathroom place is the big dog pillow. No matter how many times I gently put him on the paper, he scrambles to find that pillow again. I have no idea why he likes to potty on that pillow but I'm sure in his ferret mind there is a very valid reason. I wash that pillow more times than not. But it is a minor inconvenience in life and not one that causes any turmoil to me. Snoopy won't be here forever and I'm willing to give in this situation to keep him content for the time he is here. My group is free roam. They don't always hit the papers but it only takes seconds for me to clean up the misses. Not anything I'll get my panties in a huff for. They track in dirt from the back enclosure, but you know what, I was going to mop the floor anyway so it's no big deal. They spread the shredded newspaper all over the living room but I kinda like it that way some days and on the days I don't, well I just scoop it up and put it back where it was to begin with (can't say belongs cause obviously it's my idea that it belongs in the box and their idea it belongs on the floor). As I scoop it up I remember the fun they had spreading it out. I guess we both give a little here. Life's little inconveniences can be worked through without ruffling any feathers. It's all in how you look at it. Looking with love makes all the difference in the world. Hugs to all. tle Troy Lynn Eckart, F.B.S. Ferret Family Services http://www.ferretfamilyservices.org http://www-personal.ksu.edu/~sprite/ffs.html http://www.geocities.com/Petsburgh/Haven/5481/ Please sign up to support our efforts http://www.iGive.com/FFS [Posted in FML issue 3870]