To wake, or not to wake

[melcabral]

That is the question. Since I've started homeschooling my kids our schedule has changed. We don't get up as early and we stay up much later. So I used to send them off on the bus and then take the ferrets out for their romp because they were awake and had just finished eating "breakfast". Now we get up in the late morning and they are sleeping. The question is should I wake them up to play or should I find a way to take them out when they naturally wake up on their own?

[klaudia]

I don't get up too early either cuz I work later. I just usually let him come out when he decides. His house is in our family room, and most of the times we are up earlier than he is. Even if I wake him up, he just either goes back to his house or hides in my closet and goes back to sleep.

[melcabral]

I should probably mention mine are not free roam. My house has some repair needs and I have active children so they have a Marshall's two story cage (very similar to Ferret Nation) and a room that is ferret proofed for them to play in when they come out.

[Yurei Avalon]

Mine haven't complained yet about being woken up. Granted they are usually the ones waking us up, not the other way around. And I get up early- 6 am usually.

I find the ferrets are quite happy to be woken up if it involves playtime with hoomans. If they're still tired they'll take a nap after they ware their hooman out. ;

[melcabral]

So it sounds like if I go to take them out and they wake up readily then we're good to go. Plus they do tend to take naps after they've been out a while.

[crazylady]

Hi At this time of year they tend to sleep more any way ( late fall /winter ) its there way of preserving winter fat stores and energy so if they sleep for that extra hour or two I would just leave them but if you want to play take them out if they wake up easily play for a while then let them nap if they want to most of mine sleep 22 out of 24 hours now lol they get up to eat poop and little else ( but it is cold over here and hey why leave a nice dark warm bed lol ) take care bye for now
bev

[suzie]

Congrats on the Homeschooling (my kids are homeschooled from grade 2 to "graduation" and still learning, they operate the family business now)
I think if your ferrets are going to miss out on excercise it could not hurt to wake them to fit your schedule.

[melcabral]

Thanks, Suzie! Started a couple years ago with my oldest...now all three are home. 11, 9 and 6 yo.

I try to get them out every day. I was just wondering, since our schedule change has caused the hooman schedule to be off from the fert schedule, if it was ok to wake them to play. In the pet store (not that THEY neccessarily have a clue) there is a sign on their tank (<-- case in point) not to wake them if they are sleeping. Got me to wondering.

So Bev, where are you (if you don't mind me asking). Here in Massachusetts there are many leaves on the ground, but still many left on the trees. Today I think it was about 65F for the high. Not too shabby. Wish it would stay this way all the time. Fall and spring are my favs. But alas...it will get colder

[Sherry]

I have to follow a fairly strict schedule between my work, and the multiple playtimes. I frequently have to wake them in the morning for their playtime. It's also the perfect time for some extra snuggles while they are still sleepy

[melcabral]

Also a good time for claw clipping I clipped Ron's once while he was sleeping with his feet sticking out the cage bars. SO much easier! ;D