Ferret Pr(oops)ing --- A Near Tragic Tale

As mentioned in my previous blogs, the task of ferret proofing is NEVER done, and sometimes after months of showing no interest in a particular object or space, your ferret will take an interest in that object or space, when this happens, its best to act immediately to ensure that you ferrets safety, not doing so could have tragic results. As a friend of mine likes to say “ferrets are nothing more than suicide machines with fur, its a wonder we let ourselves get so attached to them”; nothing could be more accurate.

One of our ferrets recently ‘discovered’ a hole in the wall behind a fake cupboard door. Though he had seen this hole before, he had previously shown no interest in it... one day we noticed that he kept going back to that hole again and again. Not wanting to hammer boards into the wall of our rental home, we attempted to block off the cupboard with duct tape and cardboard. We later learned that this ferret had figured out how to remove duct tape.

One morning we went outside to eat breakfast in the sun. We were outside for less than 15 minutes and when we returned the cupboard was open - the ferret had gone into the hole. We squeaked his toy and heard him shuffling around in the hole, but he didn’t come out. Now, this ferret DOES come to a squeaky toy, but only if nothing more exciting is going on; we decided to continue on with our day and leave treats to tempt him out. When we returned that evening he had still not emerged. Something was wrong. We headed into the laundry room immediately below our suite to see if we could tell where he was. After about a half hour of searching, we found some fur popping out from around a large cast iron pipe. We removed some of the insulation and found his head - it was at this point that we realized that he was stuck. We borrowed some tools and attempted to cut an area large enough for him to exit; it was then that we discovered just HOW stuck he was. Somehow, this little guy had gotten his head pinned - he could breathe but he could not move. Unable to do anything more for him that night, we fed him some water and ferretvite and went to bed. We got up early the next morning and drove to the hardware store to rent some more appropriate tools. About an hour later, the ferret was still stuck and we came to the conclusion that if we wanted to get this little guy out we needed to get professional help, so we hired a carpenter. After four hours of drilling and cutting we exposed the ferret’s head and body; eventually we were able to free his head and, with the help of a vegetable oil drenching he was able to wiggle free. He emerged from his 27 hour imprisonment oily, hungry and dehydrated but other than few minor cuts and scratches on his body, he was unhurt. This ferret was extremely lucky. Not only did we know that he had gotten into our wall, we were also able to figure out where exactly he was stuck, enabling us to use the power tools necessary to saw through decades of poorly done renovations. He was also lucky because we were able to free his head, and it is doubtful that he realizes just how close he was to not being able to be taken out alive.
The outcome: the ferret has recovered and is as mischievous as ever, we now have some large holes in the drywall and a nice repair bill. The worst part is that this whole thing was avoidable. Had we simply asked about boarding over the hole in the first place and done so as soon as the ferret had shown an interest in the hole this terrible ordeal could have been avoided.

The bottom line: A fool may not learn from his own mistakes, but only a complete idiot doesn’t learn from the mistakes of others. Don’t let something avoidable like this happen to you - remember to act immediately when your ferret shows you something new that needs to be ferret proofed. We were lucky, you may not be. And YES, IT CAN HAPPEN TO YOU.

Ferret Proofing - the laundry room

Finally - the laundry room. The laundry room is a big NO FERRET zone - it is full of hazards and nearly impossible to make ferret friendly. Ferrets have been known to fall asleep in dirty clothes only to be thrown in the washing machine or climb into the dryer while their owners are busy transferring clothes from the washer to the dryer; often such laundry room capers end in serious injury or death on behalf of the ferret. It is not only the washer and dryer that pose serious risks to fuzzies however; the laundry room is full of hazards - laundry detergent can cause serious harm to ferrets if it is ingested, and let's face it, ferrets like to taste anything that they find on the floor. Other laundry room threats include holes for drier vents and dirt floors, making this room the most ferret-unfriendly room in the house. It is probably best for your sanity and your ferret's safety to keep this room blocked off with a big NO FERRETS ALLOWED sign on the door... if your ferrets complain about discrimination, tell them that it is for their own safety.

Good luck ferret proofing your home and remember - just when you think that your home is ferret proof, your fuzzy will point out a new hazard... the task of ferret proofing is NEVER done.

Ferret Proofing - the bedroom

If you plan on letting your ferret into the bedroom - and let's face it, who can resist taking a quick nap with their warm and fuzzy friend - then there are a few things that you need to do to make your room safe for your ferret. The biggest bedroom threat to your ferret is the boxspring. Like the bottom of the couch, the bottom of the boxspring is covered in a thin, easily ripped fabric, and in a battle between ferret and springs, whether in a couch or in a boxspring, the springs always win. Ferrets can be kept out of boxsprings the same way that they can be kept out of couches - either by stapling sheets to the bottom of the boxsping, or by placing the boxspring on the floor. If you have a foam mattress, you may not have to worry about a boxspring, but you do have to worry about your ferret shredding and possibly even eating the foam. In order to keep your foam mattress in one piece, you may wish to invest in a foam mattress cover or make sure that you keep your sheets tucked snugly around the mattress, leaving no part of it exposed to fuzzy claws. If you have children, or are a child at heart, make sure that all toys are stored out of fuzzy reach - rubber tires and rubbery toys are easily pulled apart and eaten by a ferret. A couple of bedroom reminders: Check all blankets for ferrets before sitting on your bed and if you use your floor as a horizontal closet, check your clothing for ferrets before stepping on it.

Ferret Proofing - the bathroom

Foamy, soapy, spongy, rubbery - those are the key words to keep in mind when ferret proofing the bathroom. Anything that is foamy, soapy, spongy or rubbery is a ferret magnet. Plugs, soap, plungers, toilet brushes (ok, they don't quite fit, but they do attract ferrets), razors with rubber grips, tooth and hairbrushes (again - rubbery grips) are all fair game in the world of the ferret. The trouble is that much of the stuff found in the bathroom is not ferret friendly. Plugs are easily chewed apart and ingested, soaps may make ferrets sick, etc. So how do you make the bathroom ferret-friendly? Well, in some cases you simply cannot successfuly do so and should just keep the door closed when ferret is about, but if you want to try or have a bathroom that can be ferret-proofed then here are some tips... if you have shower doors, keep them firmly closed. This will make the bathtub and its contents out of reach for fuzzy. If you do not have a shower door, store all soaps, shampoos, plugs, razors etc. high up and out of ferret reach. Make sure that rubbery anti-slip mats are moved out of ferret reach either by sticking them high on the wall or by closing shower doors - ferrets love to chew off and swallow the suction cups. Store the plunger under the sink(if your ferret cannot get under the sink) or, if string it under the sink is not an option, store it in a margarine or ice cream container with a small hole pocked through the top for the handle, but keep in mind that some ferrets will be able to figure out how to remove the lid. Do the same with the toilet brush - the chemicles on it can make fuzzy rather sick and maybe even kill him - its best not to take that chance. Keep the garbage out of reach along with feminine hygiene products (some ferrets love to steal them and rip them apart), and be sure to always keep the toilet covered - toilets are filled with fascinating smells and pose a big drowning risk to over curious ferrets.

Ferret Proofing - the kitchen

The kitchen can pose many hidden risks to a mischievous ferret. Gaps that allow fuzzies to get behind or underneath stoves, refrigerators and dishwashers MUST be blocked off - these appliances often have moving components underneath and can seriously injure or kill your ferret. If the grate of the bottom of your refrigerator pulls off easily, your ferret may be able to pull it off and get underneath - fasten it down as a precaution. One thing that I never thought of before getting my first ferret were cupboards. Some ferrets are excellent at getting into cupboards and though there may not be anything harmful to them in the cupboard, having ferrets climb through previously clean dishes is not something that most people enjoy. Magnetic child locks or locking cupboards are ideal for keeping pots and pans ferret-free.Other types of locks such as the ones that fasten on to the top corner of the cupboard will not keep fuzzy out of the cupboards (they will be able to pull the door open wide enough to fit in), but they will make the task of cupboard entry more difficult and noisey for the ferret, allowing you to hear what your pet is up to and catching him in the act. Now a final couple of thoughts about the kitchen... first - get a locking garbage can. Garbage is interesting to most pets, and ferrets are no exception. Your pet, at best, will pull garbage out of the can and stash it around your house (and it is NOT fun to play 'where is the smell coming from' as you search for the hidden garbage) and at worst eat something out of the garbage can, causing intestinal blockage or accidentally get thrown out with the trash. Second - make sure that your ferret stay OUT of the fridge. Odds are that your pet will want to explore the interior of the refrigerator and will attempt to climb in, if you are not careful you could wind up shutting him in - it wouldn't be fun to open the fridge to get an apple and finding a hypothermic ferret.