Is she hyped up or anxious?

[Blue]

I've been taking Maisie for walks, and at first I thought she was super hyped up in a good way, but now I'm worried that it's actually making her anxious.  Any clues on how to tell?

1st real time: 9 pm at night, she took off at high speed and never really slowed down. It was a brisk trot everywhere, or that cute sideways hop if I put her in the grass. I took her home after an hour because I was worried that her paws weren't used to walking on pavement, and I was tired. One weird thing: at one point, she flat-ferreted, and I going to take that as a sign to stop, but she was actually peeing, and then hopped up and ran on again. The only thing I could think of was defense against predators?

2nd, 3rd times: during daylight, she lasted 5 minutes and asked to go back inside by putting her paws firmly on the door. We'd never really left the house so she knew where to find the door. I figured it was the daylight, and once again the threat of predators?

4th time: at night again: pretty much same as the 1st time, although she was more insistent on going places I couldn't allow her (middle of the street, under fences, etc.). I brought her back after about 15 min because I wasn't really sure she was enjoying it, and didn't know if she could find her way home even if she wanted to. She was still full of beans once we got home.

She hates her harness with a passion, of course. I took the bell off, and she gets salmon oil every single time I put it on, but no luck so far. A really sweet thing happened when I was trying to get it off: I was having a really hard time getting it unlatched, and she was really struggling. At one point she stops struggling and lowers her head with intent towards the hand that was holding her. I'm thinking, crap, she's going to bite me, but... she gave me 4 quick licks on my hand!!! It was heart-melting.

Thank you for any help or advice you can give. I love walking her, but I want to make sure she's actually enjoying it too!

[bitbyter]

Some ferrets are just not comfortable outside. My Socks really doesn't like it but Wilma is fine with being outside. You can slowly acclimatize her if you want over time but if it is stressing her it's a decision you have to make.

[Deleted]

I take Loki and now Liam for walks so I might be able to help you.

They both go through periods of time where they are either intensely running around and/or digging at the ground, just to suddenly stop and act like they don't want to go further. I'm not sure as to why. I take my boys to a park that is frequented by dog owners. So mine do get startled by canines once in a while.

Loki almost always wants to run into the street. He will do the complete side ways run in the hopes of getting into the street.

Sometimes I would bring Loki out and he would look around and run back for the car (which is my signal for him to want to leave). I just pick him up and move him away from the car and he stops. We are usually out for a half an hour to a full hour.

[unclejoe]

hey're moody. Eddie didn't like going out in the daylight much, but he would go for long walks with me at night. They all like going out in the wet grass in the morning.

[Deleted]

It's hard to tell if your Maisie is stressed or not. Is the harness too tight? Whenever I take mine out, they run too, in the grass and they try to hide in the bushes. One gets the bushy tail and if they want to go back home they pause running and try to go back in their carrier.

[Blue]

bitbyter - I think she likes it outside. I'm just worried that I'm misinterpreting her signals. Based on others' experiences, it sounds like she's exhibiting normal happy ferret behavior.

@danilutka - thanks, that's helpful! So it sounds like running intensely is normal, not a sign of stress. That's good. I'm also glad to hear they go out for up to an hour, because I was worried that was too much for her. And isn't it funny that for some reason they like the middle of the street?! Ah, ferrets.

unclejoe - thanks, it's good to know that preferring night over day might be normal behavior. I'm also glad to hear they enjoy running in wet grass - Maisie did that too for a bit and I kind of assumed she didn't like it, but it sounds like that might not be the case.

@deariie - This is the only harness that holds her - she's tiny! I saw a thing about a slipknot method, so I'm going to try that next. OK, it sounds like the running is happy behavior, and that if she wants to stop she'll let me know. I did try to carry her a couple of times and she wanted down, so I hoped that was a good sign. I think one thing I need to do is make sure she knows how to get back home.

Thanks everyone

[Deleted]

I walk three at once they love running opposite directions, sniffing everywhere, going snake like in long grass, they run, stop, run all the time - love being out out when its home time one wants to run full pelt home and the other 2 dawdle lol

[unclejoe]

Different fuzzies have different preferences. But we never attempt to walk more than one each at a time. Like when Smokie gets on a leash, he's go go go, but Yoshi and Jaffa spend a lot of time sniffing around so they do't even get leashed in the yard. Of course, out in public, everyone gets leashed and we bring the stroller for when they get tired. They actually enjoy riding in it.  
I had to use a slipknot harness for Alice a few times, but I learned that she didn't really enjoy being harnessed as much as she did getting out on her own.  

[Blue]

I tried the slip knot harness last night and it didn't work very well for us. I switched harnesses and by then she was quite exasperated and just wanted to go back inside (it was also cool and windy). Poor woozle. Funny that you say some fuzzies do like to just hang out and sniff around, because that's kind of what I was expecting when I started out, and partly why I was worried about all the running. I'd seen a woman walking her ferret once, and it was like walking a cat: stand there while the furkid sniffs around. I rather like the go go go style

[Deleted]

Rolo used to be of very split minds about walking. Sometimes he would race alongside me so I'd have to be jogging to keep pace, and he'd essentially just go with me wherever I wanted. Sometimes though he just likes to sit and smell every bush and every plant and sometimes dig in the ground. It totally depends really. He hasn't been out in ages though, since we live in Toronto and I'm too nervous about him being in parks with tons of potentially un-vaccinated/flea filled dogs around. I realize you run into animals like that everywhere, but just the sheer concentration of animals in the city means we're much more at risk, and Rolo can't be vaccinated anymore.