To Bob C.( followup to email) and others;
 
Another mouse got in, found Rocky's food and must have a silo of it
somewhere; especially likes NG.  The only way they stop coming is to not
leave access to Rocky's food.  so I've been picking it up after Rocky
eats; however, I can't leave it out at night.  AT the same time (by
coincidence), I've made a lot of chicken for myself and have been feeding
it to Rocky as well.  He also gets raw, slightly microwaved) egg yolk
when I eat eggs.
 
Now, he doesn't want to eat kibble when offered it,, and he's already
thin.
 
Even when the kibble was out in the past, he had to be reminded, believe
it or not, to eat.  If I gave him a treat (a piece of cat or kitten
food), he'd realize, "Oh, yeah, I'm hungry," and he'd go over to his
bowl to eat.  Or, I'd force a piece of kibble into his mouth and then
he'd eat.  What kind of crazy creature has to be reminded to eat?  Do
free-roam ferrets eat less?  I don't remember this problem when he was
caged.
 
I've also noticed that the more meat I give him, the more he wants and
less he wants kibble.  While you might think this is a good thing, I
don't think he can live on breaded chicken cutlets alone.
 
He doesn't even like TF treats anymore!  And since I started making
chicken gravy, he won't eat canned cat food or Wysong all meat carnivore
food.  To tell you the truth, the stuff smells like sh*t; I don't blame
him.
 
He seems to like Path Valley food, though it's in a sample bag so he sees
it as a treat; this doesn't always work once it becomes his actual meal.
Unfortunately, I just got a new bag of TF with Chicken chunks, which he
doesn't seem to like.  Even when I was able to find the miniscule chicken
chunks and offer it to him from my hand, he'd look at me as if to say,
"You expect me to eat that processed piece of crap??  That's not real
chicken." Also, it is covered with kibble powder, so it smells the same.
 
The one house mouse he caught only because it was in the bathtub he
treated more as a treasured toy to chew on like he chews on fuzzy or
furry toys--(he's been a cloth eater since kithood).  So I doubt he'd eat
a live mouse, plus I don't think I can do it.  He didn't kill it on the
first bite and it's squeal of pain went straigt to my heart.  I've had
mice as pets.  I doubt he'd eat the frozen ones either since he won't eat
raw chicken, unless I sneak a few small pieces are in his egg yolk.
 
So this is what Rocky likes to eat:
Cooked chicken, raw egg yolk, chicken gravy, beef liver treats, palmetto
bugs (when one comes around, which isn't very often), dry cat and kitten
food (I give only a piece or two per day as treats), Pounce and Petrodex
dental treats.  He also likes any kind of oil; canola, olive oil, plus
butter, Ferretone; Ferretvite.  (Oh, and of course, any kind of fruit or
high-carb item LOL, which he might get a tiny piece of once or twice a
month.)
 
Is this enough nutritionally?  Not sure I can keep up with all the
cooking (esp. chicken gravy).
 
I know I've spoiled him; but it's also the mouse problem, and the fact
that he's so thin.  I'm afraid if he got sick he'd go down so fast with
no extra weight.
 
Please email me if possible; I don't always get to read all the FML
issues.
 
Thanks,
Shron & Rocky "Forget that kibble crap. I don't see you eating dry cereal
and nothing else."
 
BTW, what is it about ferrets that makes you spoil them and become their
slaves?  I've never done this with any other animal, not even my last ,
and most beloved cat, who was also very thin.  If she wouldn't eat what I
gave her, I'd take it away and she'd have to wait for dinner.  I bought
whatever supermarket cat food was on sale, until she was 17 yrs old and
would only eat Sheba.  She lived a totally healthy life and died at 19.
Was only vaccinated as a kitten, and 2 other times.
[Posted in FML issue 4742]