Hello from Colorado. I need your thoughts, please. I have had ferrets
for about 18 years, and all but one have been rescues or shelter
fuzzes. I have had as few as one and as many as seven at one time or
another. I am down to two with the passing of our old lady, Shasta,
about six months ago. The remaining pair are older ferrets, adopted
from a kill shelter nearby, almost two years ago. They were caged
together and their info indicated they had been surrendered by two
teenage siblings, whose parents felt that the little guys were being
totally neglected. They were well socialized, sweet, and healthy
appearing, at somewhere between 3 and 4 at that time. I was contacted
by a friend who was adopting a new cat, and all things being equal,
fell into the "save them" role for one more time. They have been the
least trouble of any we have ever adopted, and while are free roam
for many hours a day, retreat to their multi level cage for naps and
security.

Anyway, my problem is that, I feed a cooked chicken diet, with the
best no grain kibble I can find as a free choice item. They also get
ferretvite, ferretone and n bones. The DEW has become incredibly obese,
and the roanmitt has become adrenal. I have been forced to stop leaving
kibble out free choice to try and limit the DEW's calorie intake. The
DEW will eat any kind of edible matter, and will chew through bags,
climb shelves and chase the cat out of her food bowl. He is hungry all
the time. The roanmitt will beg, but scorn almost every kibble offered
except indoor low calorie cat kibble. (He loves greenies) I cannot cage
them with food, because the DEW can empty a full bowl in 3 hours, and
the roanmitt won't even stash any. I don't want to separate them, but
I really need to limit the DEW and entice the roanmitt. (IF you wonder
why I don't call them by name, they are Roger and Dodger, and that,s
about more than I can stand). Thoughts????

Nancy in Colorado.....
PS vet can find no physical reason for the obesity or the pickiness

[Posted in FML 6990]