I haven't posted anything here for several months (been away from my computer), but I have a question/inquiry. I recently moved w/my ferrets into a room w/carpeting. Up 'til now I've only have hardwood floors. My ferrets haven't had any accidents on the carpet yet, however...One of them, Elsa, has discovered that she enjoys chewing the carpet. I really don't care about the carpet itself (it's pretty tough, institutional-style carpet), but the *noise* this activity creates is spine-tingling. I've already taken my bed off its frame b/c she'd do it under the bed where I couldn't reach her. Everytime I adjust something in the room she finds another hidey-hole where she lies down and chews, happily. It's just an absolutely horrible noise. Any suggestions sort of spraying the entire carpet w/bitter apple? Also, I have acquired a new ferret, a male named Linus (FYI, he isn't named after Linus in "Peanuts". Unbelieveable but true there was no connection in my head). This guy is really sweet and loves to play and really goes after my other ferret Zooey (Elsa isn't much of a "player". She's a bit of a loner, if it's conceivable that a ferret would prefer being alone). He yelps like a dog sometimes when they're playing but doesn't try and run away, in fact goes after Zooey everytime. I had no idea ferrets were capable of whining like that. I watch them and it doesn't seem that Zooey is hurting him. He is twice her size but she once stared down a 40 lb. black lab. Perhaps he's just overly vocal? Minta [Posted in FML issue 1681]