HI...I'm a first time participant here. My little demon is Newton and she has displayed the vigorous tail-wagging a few times when she is just totally maniacal, as well as a fascination for the almighty toilet-scrubber... Bizarre little critters aren't they? I have a question for anyone with an answer... While visiting my parents in Moncton, New Brunswick with Newton, I picked up my parents' dog's little squeak toy which happened to have a *very* loud squeak. It got a rather unusual(what about a ferret is ever usual?) reaction from Newton, she froze, then began her low honks and dooks and started following the toy anywhere I would squeak it. Her honks and beeps got louder and she seemed mezmorized by the sound. It was impossible to tell if she was enjoying herself or if she wanted to stuff the toy down my throat. Speaking of Moncton, there is a pet store there that carries ferrets but they always "defang" them. This means that their canines were filed down to the length of the front teeth. I found the canines to be dark grey as if the teeth were dead. This seemed like the most abusive thing I have ever seen anyone do to an animal. Perhaps the pet store hoped to make their *MERCHANDISE* seem less threatening to customers who were unfamiliar with ferrets. If anyone reading this is from Moncton, the store is the Moncton Pet World on Mountain Rd. Perhaps a boycott is in order. One last thing... I apologize if this has been covered already, but does anyone have any advise on keeping our little miners out of the potted plants? Clapping, shouting, squirting with a squirt gun, etc., don't keep Newton out of them at all. Jen, Andre and (the tongue for all occasions), Newton (if it looks as if it can come apart, be knocked over or dragged under the couch...IT WILL.:) [log in to unmask] Halifax Nova Scotia Canada. [Posted in FML issue 1200]