Ferret playground

Oh, I'm still tired. Guess I didn't get caught up on my sleep with son asking to borrow the car after I was in bed and had finally (barely) gotten to sleep. Then I lay awake for a long time but finally got back to sleep but am still groggy now. I've already made the bed, started coffee and got the bathroom ready for the ferrets.

I ferret-proof the bathroom every day before I shower, go and grab them from their cage in the basement. It's easier to let them have some unconfined time every day in the bathroom with me (with the door shut!) while I shower than to let them roam the house. Nebby, in particular, is very difficult to catch and return to the cage when I have to go to work--if he's loose in the house.

I have two sets of "ferret playgrounds" which are a mixture of various sized boxes into boxes for them to play in. They love boxes and blankets the best, just like little kids. I don't use a blanket in the bathroom for them, but two "dog" towels draped over the boxes. I have the drain plugged when I shower, so after I'm done with my shower and out of the tub/shower, the ferrets go into the bathtub for a swim. They're sweet but stinky little animals and much of their daily care consists of trying to tame the smell!

They love their playtime in the bathroom while I'm showering and then getting ready for work. Yesterday I had to re-do the polish on my toenails. They would come over close and then sneeze and leave. Yet they would come back again, because they're so friendly and curious of everything I'm doing. In fact, when I'm getting out of the shower, I have to dry off and apply "ferret-proofing" before putting my foot out of the tub! People always ask if they bite, and no, they're the most gentle animals, so much so that if our dog attacked them, they wouldn't fight back (it's never happened because we're careful to not leave them alone, unchaperoned) but they, for some reason, love to nip at freshly showered warm and puffy feet. They pretty much just touch their teeth to my foot, yet it is unpleasant, so I put lotion on each foot before stepping out of the shower/bathtub. It's the only time they nip or bite. I think freshly showered feet are more spongy and soft/slippery and the texture intrigues them. Some Bath and Body Works lotion on each foot deters them to a safe distance, though. They will rush up and pretend that they're going to bite me, just to get me to react. The ferrets whole life is all about play and playing.

Someday I'd like to make a video of the ferrets playing in the bathroom. But the room would look a mess with a stack of soda boxes stuffed into a beer box and a round oatmeal container sticking out of that, partially covered by two clean but stained "dog" towels. Not a pretty sight to anyone but the ferrets! Have a good day!