To Gizmo's human:
 
I wouldn't feel too guilty about leaving Gizmo in his cage all day, as
long as you give him enough free time and attention when you're home.
I did the same, but I quit feeling so bad about it when I saw that on
weekends, when their cage was open all day, my ferrets still slept
pretty much the whole time.
 
Most people just keep their ferrets' bowls full all day and night.
The only exception I can think of would be if you have a ferret who's
getting overweight, but that shouldn't ever apply to a growing kit.
If you're feeding dry food, wash out the bowl every few days; if
you're still on moist food, wash it out once or twice a day.  A large
water bottle won't be a problem, but you should wash it at least every
couple of days.  As for the cage, we sweep up food crumbs and
scattered litter whenever it's needed, and we wash the cage and
bedding weekly.
 
> 3) He seems to have alot of dandruff, and scratches himself every
> once in a while.  Dry skin?  What should I do/not do about it?
 
Are you actually seeing little white flakes?  Ferrets do tend to
scratch a lot, and usually it's nothing to worry about.  If you
suspect dry skin, bathe Gizmo less often; you could also try rinsing
him with diluted conditioner.  If the flakes are brown or black, look
for fleas, but the first treatment to try is much the same: a bath,
followed by a conditioner.
 
Nipping can get to be a problem for two reasons.  First of all, of
course, if he's biting hard enough to hurt, he needs to be taught that
that's not acceptable.  Most ferrets put their teeth on people gently
as part of playing, and most people don't mind that.  But if you're
hoping to introduce Gizmo to a lot of people who'll misunderstand and
think he's trying to bite them (children, nervous parents, etc.) then
you may want to train him not to.
 
Sorry to have gone on so long.  I hope this answers your questions!
 
- Pam in Rochester, NY
[log in to unmask]
friend to Pixxel and Rusty the furry torpedoes
keeper of the Ferret FAQ -- current version is 1.1.1 (1.2 coming soon!)
 
[Posted in FML issue 0786]