Just sent my favorite list to Newsweek--FML of course! I read with interest Rita Terrel's post--Welcome to the free zone, Rita! Anyway, I too am a harpest, and all the ferrets I have ever had have LOVED to sleep in my harp case--as well as my violin and viola cases. I fact, they took over my last harp case so throughly (kept digging and digging at it to get inside, snagging the fabric) that I wound up giving it to them--and eventually converting it to a soft sided ferret carrier. Now I knew that mine were very musical, but now I know it must be a national conspiricy--I wonder what the FLO is going to do with all those musical instrument cases? Finally, as to ferrets and sand--I live on the banks of a tidal river, and there is NOTHING, (not even chocolate!) that my guys enjoy more than digging in the sand, running at the waves, and tossing shells about. I agree that you should use caution around salt water, and watch those temperatures and sunburn, but don't deprive your fuzzies of one of life's great pleasures! Give it a try--if they start to eat the stuff, then you've cause for concern, but other than that it's a whole lot more fun (a somewhat cleaner) than digging in the dirt! [Posted in FML issue 1525]