Braingonebad (love that!)

You're absolutely right about the need to protect animals from the public. At 2 lbs, she's really vulnerable to being stepped on if she got loose in public. Who would see her if they weren't paying attention?

When we do travel, she came with me to CA this fall, I bring a large dog-style crate with us. She is comfortable and feels safe inside, and will go there for food, water, litter box, and hammock for sleeping.

She also loves to explore the hotel room, but I must first lay on the floor with a flashlight and look at the room from her point of view. Did the housekeeper vacuum under the bed? Are there dropped pills or other dangerous things in hard to reach places, like behind the furniture? She can squeeze though a hole 1.5 inches in diameter.

If a previous traveler dropped an aspirin and left it where ever it fell, and the maid couldn't get the vacuum into the crevice to get it out, she could die. Ferrets lick objects to explore them. One lick of an aspirin tablet would be all that was necessary to kill her. Even getting to a vet right away won't save her.

As parents/caregivers of animals, we have a responsibility to keep our animals safe so that they can help us.

In the same way, I take my responsibility to protect the hotel room from my ferret as seriously as protecting her from the room. I hope that by being a good visitor, we'll help the next ferret who tries to stay, have an easier time.

I have found that calling ahead will help, and refusing maid service will be even safer for my ferret.

Thanks to all, Jeanne