rorqual

As you may or may not know, ferrets are very into Putting Things Away. I have given them a large number of stuffed mousies for just that purpose, and they can spend a good amount of time putting them in hiding places, or moving them from one hiding place to another, etc etc. Often, this involves moving them up and down the stairs, as the ferrets have their favorite places to hide things, and they are scattered throughout the house (for convenience and security, I presume).

Well, I have a small stuffed leopard ray (you know, like a stingray, only with spots). I keep it out of their reach, but ultimately, nothing is out of their reach, and apparently they stole it out of the bedroom just a little while ago. I find this out, because a few minutes ago I hear a funny thumping coming from the second floor, and I go up to see that Butters is trying to drag the ray up the stairs to the third floor.

I had to take it away from him, not just because I didn't want him to chew on it, but because it is so big (not heavy, but wide...like a ray. You know what I'm talking about), that he couldn't carry it up the stairs without falling back down each step he tried. He would leap up, fail to clear the edge of the step with the ray in his mouth, and fall back down. Repeat.

I did not want Butters to Die from Ray. It's evolutionarily sound, but I love him too much.