hi to all the ferrets and ferret-lovers who gather here to share/commiserate/laugh/lament/etc. over the most habit-forming little critters in the world. i'm ecstatic that i've found a place such as this mailing list. thank you all for your posts. every one has been read with enthusiasm. i'm going to make my first post here, because i need some advice on keeping my little munchkins safe. has anyone found a method for blocking these little devils from escaping out the front door or patio door whenever they are opened? i find that i confine alvin and sally to their cage much more than i want to, because i'm scared to death that they will escape. my friend, who convinced me that my life wouldn't be complete without a ferret or two (or three, or eight, or....), lost her first ferret that way. we live in the country and enjoy our backyard, so my husband and i are constantly going in and out. any suggestion, no matter how far-fetched, would be accepted and probably implemented by us. another topic here.....has anyone else noticed that the longer your little terrorists-in-fur-coats go without being bathed, the less stinky they become? we've decided to bathe ours only before visiting non-ferretobsessed relatives, the vet, etc. two more hints that i've (i mean alvin and sally) have discovered: they love those cat-toy things that have a bunch of feathers tied together on a long string on the end of a pole. my 4 cats don't even TRY to play with this thing whenever the munchkins get involved. to stop a baby fuzzy from biting, getting down is his face and yelling REALLY LOUDLY seems to work better than that thump-on-the-nose trick. my two learned not to snack on ankles in less than 2 days when i yelled (if you don't yell LOUDLY, they won't even notice.) thanks again for being here. and kiss all your little furry-faced weasel-breath demons for me. linda [Posted in FML issue 1288]