We keep our four ferrets in a *very* big cage (2ftx4ftx5ft) when we aren't around to supervise their play (I just worry too much about them to leave them out all the time), so when we had to go out of town overnight on a business trip I didn't think it would be any big deal to leave them there. I made sure their water bottles were full and they had plenty of food, so everything would be okay, huh? Well, of course the first thing I did when I got home this evening was rush in to see my babies. Tygger, Tassie, Pongo.......WHERE'S POOH????? I of course became frantic immediately, calling out for her and looking all over. (our entire apartment is not ferret proofed, just their room.) I started to imagine Pooh whizzing back and forth in the living room blinds while we were gone, and the slightly crazy lady across the courtyard calling the exterminator to take care of the "rats" in my building-after all, I don't publicize I have ferrets, once she claimed my dog was having a fit in the window while I was gone (my dog was *with* me!) and she does believe that sparks shoot out of the outlets and dance on the walls of her apartment! Finally, almost in tears, who do I see sticking her little cinnamon head our of the towels in the travel carrier but my Pooh Bear. WHEW! So far she seems okay. Lord only knows what adventures she had while we were gone (although I sure she probably ran back and forth in front of the cage taunting the other three, who aren't as good at escaping as she is!) and we found it was a loose latch on the cage that caused her to escape. She had access to food both in the carrier and some that had been kicked out of the big cage, but not to water. While she has eaten since we've gotten home, she still hasn't had anything to drink. When should I worry? Although she shivered for awhile, she is playing/acting normally otherwise. LESSON LEARNED: Even if all the babies are in the cage, check to make sure there is FOOD AND WATER someplace outside the cage that they can get to. I'll never leave home without doing that again! ____________________________________________ Someone asked where Path Valley is: Dry Run, Penn. Until next time: Deborah, Tygger, Tassie, Pooh and Pongo [Posted in FML issue 1280]