Heyas!!
 
-,{@ >         Anyway- I was wondering about what sorts of commercial cat
 -,{@ foods  > poeple are using.  I know that Iams and other high-end diets
 -,{@ are very  > good, but alas, I am but a poor student.  So, what sees to
 -,{@ be a good  > choice within the realm of cat food you can get at the
 -,{@ grocery store?  A
 
-,{@ I would spend the slightly higher price.  You can afford it once every
 -,{@ 5 or 6 weeks (or more).  After all the good  stuff not only will help
 -,{@ your ferret stay healthy but you won't have to  use all of those
 -,{@ additives that are necessary with cheaper stuff.
 
I agree 100 %! They do eat less, because of the nutritional value...less
waste too. And commercial cat food, grocery brand will show..and your ferret
will be less healthy and then you may have some vet bills too. :(  I am also
low on funds. I'm going through a divorce, and I only just got the job I
wanted. So I sure understand, but again, it's well worth the extra money.
And again, they do eat less because there is alot less waste. :)
 
                  -,-'-{@             @}-,-'-
 
-,{@   Jodi, you really have to break Leopold of this habbit. My male Nitro
 -,{@ nipped a  bit when I first got him (especially noses) and I was able to
 -,{@ cahnge that to  just licking by consistant nose thumps, return bites
 -,{@ (only once when he drew  blood, and imediate return to the cage. It
 -,{@ took about a two weeks to totally  stop the biting. He will chew on my
 -,{@ finger when I play wrestle with him but  never enough to hurt. ferrets
 -,{@ are fast learners as long as they know they can't  EVER get away with
 -,{@ something. Ditto what a number of others have said, after  any kind of
 -,{@ punishment it's important to let them know you still love them.
 
DITTO!! :)
 
                  -,-'-{@             @}-,-'-
 
Hi, Marshall farm ferrets have a little tattoo on the left ear. Mine has
two..close together..also the pet store will give you (or mine did) a
certificate to show that the ferret has been dscented and nuetered. I'll
email ya too. :)
 
I got my MF ferret, well, it was my first. I knew nothing about Marshall
Farms or ferrets! <g> Luckily some online folks helped me out alot. It was
interesting. <G> I think I gave them all a few good laughs. Hehe!!
 
                  -,-'-{@             @}-,-'-
 
-,{@ >1) What about my aquariums?  I have two that are within reach of  >
 -,{@ a ferret.  Anyone out there with experience?  Will the ferrets  >   try
 -,{@ to get to the fish?  There are lids on both, but they only  >   cover
 -,{@ 75% of the aquarium and the lids don't seem like they  >   would be
 -,{@ that difficult to lift.  Do the ferrets dislike  >   water enough to
 -,{@ leave them alone?
 
ROFL!! Okay...I have 3 aquariums..and..mine are all covered
completey...now...but before..I had a very small opening in the 55 gallon
one...one day I saw Nonni's HEAD in the water. I didn't realize she'd gotten
on top of it. What a sight!! Anyway, I blocked it. And I have heard stories
about ferrets drowning....:<<<<  So you may want to be sure the top is
covered with something the ferret can't remove. I use plexiglass...it had a
plastic back, a flexible one to cover the back around the airlines, power
filters etc...I had a piece of plexi glass cut to fit. :) I also learned
that ferrets can go anywhere...nothing too high, nothing away from possible
reach.
 
Also ferret proofing ahead of time is a great idea!! I lost not one but two
ferrets out of my house. ;'(  It's great you are planning ahead!!
 
One went out the dryer hose. The other from a 3/4 to 1 inch (no lie) opening
in the window. :'<
 
-,{@   Again, based on experience they can indeed learn to open cabinets. I
 -,{@ put  child safety latches on all my floor level kitchen cabinets, so
 -,{@ they don't  open far enough for the fuzzies to squeeze in.
 
Yep!! Mine do. Also NEVER EVER turn on the dishwasher or the dryer, or even
the washer...until you are SURE there are no ferrets in there! I have had
them in both the dryer (when the girls leave it open (always, same with the
dishwasher) and the dishwasher. In fact, they LOVE the dishwasher. The
flatten themselves under the rack...when it's pulled out...and play a
strange sort of tag game..."let's see if we can wrestle while flattened
under that plate rack." " Okay, lets!" <G>
 
 
-,{@ prevent short of keeping them out entirely. Oh well, they still get
 -,{@ visiting  privileges (supervised, of course) to these areas
 -,{@ occasionally.
 
Same here....mine get supervised visits. :)
 
                  -,-'-{@             @}-,-'-
 
-,{@ invitation.  Let them know you are displeased.  Flick them on the nose
 -,{@ with a thumb and forefinger, spank them on their little behinds, bite
 -,{@ them back, scruff them and yell "NO!"  Ferrets do NOT like being yelled
 -,{@ at.  Spray Bitter Apple on your toes and shoes so they will learn not
 -,{@ to  bite feet ("yuck! Tastes BAD!")  They will learn, but you must be
 -,{@ consistent.  Be disapproving when they behave badly.  Talk to them in a
 -,{@ pleasing, soothing tone when they are good.  Ferrets are very smart
 -,{@ little  critters, and are very trainable if you are patient and
 -,{@ consistent.  If  you are speaking to Leopold in a kindly tone when he
 -,{@ is bad, he won't  understand the mixed signal.  The little fella will
 -,{@ only be confused.  Honest, trust me -- yell at him, or at least talk to
 -,{@ him in a loud,  disapproving tone when you are disciplining him.
 
Because...that cannot be stressed enough!!! It's why some states don't even
allow the little guys. :(
 
-,{@   When you think about bitting a ferret back, it's not really being
 -,{@ cruel, you  are talking their language.  Not only do I bite a ferret
 -,{@ back, I'll hiss at  them while bitting them!!!!  It may sound gross,
 -,{@ but it worked for my 5  ferrets!!!
 
:)  Well, I have hissed at them..well, only Nonni, the others I got from the
previous owner..and he did a mgreat job of teaching them and now they are
really loving. Someoine else told me about biting back..and the only reason
I didn't was because...yik. <GG> I would if it was needed though and the
other didn't work.
 
When they are biters or nippers they don't make happy pets. Because the
owner is stressed and the ferret is always "in trouble" ..where if the owner
is firm all along, they learn early and afterward are happier, because they
don't bite, and the ferret and the owner are much happier and more relaxed.
:D Honest. :)
 
 
                        Daisy.Lin..
                           And the Whackey and Wonderful 3 !!
 
 
[Posted in FML issue 0604]