Play is perhaps one of the BEST mutual enrichments (rivals grooming) between ferrets and their owners. Have you ever brought in a new toy and your ferrets go wild over it for about 10 minutes, whereupon it is toted away to languish in the hidey-hole forevermore? A common remark I have heard for years is that ferrets like to hide toys far more than they like to play with them, and I tend to concur, although exceptions certainly abound. I have noted ferrets have four distinct responses to toys: they investigate and then ignore them, they investigate and then hide them, they briefly play with them from time to time, and they play with them as long as I am holding the other end, animating them. An observant ferret owner would note this is an interest continuum, ranging from low to high interest. No matter the toy, I have found the toys ferrets prefer to play with are those animated by owners; a plastic grocery bag, a towel, even paper balls are just as enjoyable as expensive stuffed balls or animals. In fact, it is the ferret owner that seems to be the toy, and the object simply something the ferret has to get past in order to "get" the owner. The reason, I believe, is the typical ferret is far less interested in the toys as they are in the INTERACTION between themselves and the ferret owner. Ferrets use play as a means of learning (and teaching) social skills, learning dominance, and even to know the health and physical abilities of rivals. Play is EXTREMELY important to ferrets; so much so it is probably accurate to assume ferrets that DON'T play are displaying a pathological condition (humans are the same way--a child that consistently doesn't play has something wrong with them). Even my oldest ferrets, ill or dying, have shown at least some small spark of interest when solicited to play with tickles or paw batting. Play in important, it encourages better socialization, it reduces stress, AND is promotes the positive psychological and physiological attributes of enrichment. Exploration is another fine way to enjoy mutual enrichment. This is nothing more than taking a ferret to a new location and wandering around. It is important to teach the ferret that the leash is their friend, make sure they have all their vaccinations, and I would be VERY wary of dogs and other animals that might visualize the ferret as a toy or dinner. I have noticed my ferrets like to explore areas having some sort of water feature, such as creeks, ponds, lakeshore, etc. They especially love to dig into soft earth, so keep a sharp eye on them. Take the time to INTERACT with your ferret, and mutal enrichment will be the result. Bob C [Posted in FML issue 4223]