>From:    MistyRain <[log in to unmask]>
>First off my name is Misty.  My boyfirend (Bobby) and I are New Ferret
>owners and have MANY questions about our new Critter and how to take care
>of her properly.  We got our little fuzz about a week ago and she is the
>most Adorable thing we have ever seen!  She is a 9 week old Sable girl
>that we have named JellyBean, she went for a three days without a name
>till she raded my jellybean stash...she was a trip to watch!!!
>
>Anyway I had a few questions I was hoping someone could answer for me...
 
Let me first suggest that you go to http://www.ferretcentral.org and read
the ferret faqs.  Second, go to http://theferretstore.com and buy a copy of
Kim Schilling's book "Ferrets for Dummies".  Those two sources will answer
90% of your ferret questions.
 
>First off ... the Fero-Vite, she doesn't like...she wont go near it...i
>have tried to put it on my finger...my toe....her treats....her food....
>in her food bowl....EVERYWHERE i can think...is this not a good vitamine
>for her?
 
I don't use Fero-vite.  I use 8in1 Ferretvite, also Ferretone.  Booger
resisted both for 8 months until I finally put a drop of Ferretone in his
mouth.  His eyes lit up and he was smacking his lips and looking for some
more of that wonderful stuff.  The main reason it is good to introduce
your ferret to these products is because of how much they can help with
other chores.  A couple drops of Ferretone on the tummy keeps a ferret so
interested in licking it off that he doesn't realize you are clipping his
nails.  Ferretvite taste just like Kittymalt, so once a week you give
Kittymalt instead of Ferretvite for a hairball preventative.
 
>Third ... Cat litter, i was told by the pet store i got her from and some
>ferret sites i have fun across that cat litter is a good thing to put in
>her litter panas long as it was not scoopable or scented....well i have
>done that and the poor little girl keeps gettin it stuck to her butt and
>it makes it all red and imagenable sore.....what should I use?  i already
>use soft shredded newspaper like stuff as her bedding.
 
Okay, bedding should be soft cloth, like old baby blankets, T-shirts, Legs
cut off jeans, etc.  Not newspaper.  Litter should be absorbent and too
large to stick to bottoms.  Personally, my favorite is the compressed wood
pellets they sell for stoves.  It works great and only cost like $4.00
for 40 lbs.  Other suitable litters are compressed newspaper products like
Yesterdays News, and interestingly enough, rabbit pellets.  I didn't like
the smell of the compressed alphalpha pellets, but if you do, you're
talking $4-5 for 40 pounds at your local feed store.
 
>Forth ... (i told you i had alot of questions, tee hee) What treats are
>best for her?  i have this one called "8in1 Pro Ultra-Blend Fruit & Crunch
>Treat" she seems to like it but one time when she ate it (it was the first
>time now that i think of it) she scarfed two or three of the "crunches"
>down and then went into a fit where she started scratching at the roof of
>her mouth and sqirming around like she was gaging....i picked her up to see
>if it was stuck on top of her mouth...no.....was it stuck in her throut...
>not that i could see......it hasnt happened lately when i have givin ti to
>her.......has this happened to anyone else?  is this an ok treat?
 
My ferrets' absolute favorite treat is a raisin, cut in quarters.  They
love them and there is no chance of that getting stuck.  Other things
that have been used for treats are banana chips, Cheerios, apple, orange,
grapes.  Most any fruit cut into small pieces will appeal to some ferrets.
 
--
Russ, Booger, Bonnie & Clyde
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[Posted in FML issue 3407]