Why physicists tried to put a ferret in a particle accelerator

As someone who doesn't have a physics background, I thought they were putting an animal in the accelerator at first glance.

I don't suppose it was... to ferret?

Reads article

Yes.

TL;DR to pull string through the whole thing so they could clean out little metal shavings using a mop or foam or whatever attached to the other end of the string, which they'd pull through after the ferret. So it was driving out—or ferreting—the metal shavings.

To get the metal slivers out. You're welcome.