>I thought one of the main reasons for not using shavings is because they
>could breathe in a tiny piece in a nostril and it could get lodged and
>cause an infection or something worse
 
Ferrets are burrowing animals, hunting and living in dirty old rabbit
warrens or holes in and around barns.  They are quite well adapted to
removing foreign bodies from up their noses like we are by sneezing.
Here in the UK in the last 10 years it has been possible to buy treated
wood chippings (heated and dust extracted) for animal use.  It comes in
50/60 lb compressed bails; I just cut 2 or 3 little round holes in the
plastic wrapping and let the ferrets slowly make tunnels all through it.
It takes them about 3 weeks to collapse the bail and empty all the
chippings out.  I have always used wood chippings with no ill effects.
Before I started buying treated chippings I used to get them from local
sawmills.  Not green wood from logging mills only dry wood chippings from
manufacturing firms.  I'm not saying it could never happen but it's like
a ferret getting a bone stuck in its throat or struck by lightning, I do
not think it very likely.
 
Chris.
 
PS I did not have to worry about Cedar as we don't grow it and import
very little.
 
The Wessex Ferret Club http://web.ukonline.co.uk/superzoe/index.htm
The Woolston Dog Club http://www.btinternet.com/~chris.lloyd2/
Chris Lloyd ICQ no. 44575318
[Posted in FML issue 3953]