Well, Are You Coming?
(Another Ferret Story)
by Tina Blue
August 13, 2003
Ferrets are notoriously curious, mischievous, and smart. They get into anything that is left where they can get into it.
They also like to capture their people's attention.
My ferret Ivy had the run of the house. Once when she was in the bathroom, she climbed up on the small plastic child's stool that I kept near the bathtub. While she was up there, she began nosing the bottles of shampoo and conditioner that sat on the edge of the tub.
Very soon, she had knocked one of the bottles over, into the tub.
Of course I heard that loud thump from out in the living room, so I hurried to the bathroom to see what was getting knocked over. When I saw Ivy up on the stool, knocking over my bottles of hair product, I just chuckled and left her to her game.
But Ivy took notice. I had immediately responded when she had knocked over the bottles of shampoo and conditioner, and that connection stuck with her.
From then on, at least twice a day, whenever Ivy wanted my attention she would go into the bathroom and knock a bottle of hair product into the bathtub. Then she would stick her head out of the bathroom and look to see if I was coming. If I wasn't, she would go back in and knock over the other bottleand then go to the bathroom doorway and look out again.
I thought it was so cute that I didn't want her to stop, so whenever she knocked over a bottle of shampoo or conditioner, I would always respond to her "call" but not until she had stuck her little head around the corner to look for me, as if to ask, "Well, are you coming?
