Hi All,
 
        First off I would like to extend my condolences to all who have
lost a friend recently.  I don't know what I would do if I lost my Nikki.
 
        I just wanted to tell everyone that I bought one of the ferret
hammocks for Nikki and she loves it.  I would have gotten it much sooner
if I had realized how much she would enjoy it.  She started sleeping in
it almost immediately and even seems to rock herself to sleep.
 
        I also wanted to thank the people who suggested putting
ferret-tone on the belly for nail clipping.  It makes things so much
easier, but she does let me know that she realizes what is happening and
is not being tricked into anything, just being compensated fairly for her
trouble.
 
        Lastly, I do have a question regarding food and a change in her
diet.  I recently tried to change the brand of food I am using because
the pet store closest to me doesn't carry the brand that I normally feed her.
She normally eats the ferret food packaged by L & M Animal Farms.  The
first ingredient listed is fish meal but from what I've read here that
isn't a good source of protein for ferrets.  I have fed her Forti-Diet
which is primarily poultry and fish based with the only side effect being
a slight softening of the stool.  The food I tried this last time was
packaged by sunsource (or similar name, not quite sure) and if I remember
correctly it was primarily meat based.  The problem is that she vomitted
violently for approximately 10 minutes straigt about 5 mins after she
started eating the new food.  I did mix it 50/50 with the L/M food before
serving.  Should I avoid using this food because of her reaction or should
I just introduce it more slowly?  I would like her to accept as many
varieties of ferret food as possible as she will not eat any other kind of
food.  She turns up her nose at cat food and people food (except ice
cream)...she won't even eat raisins like most of the other ferrets here.
 
 
 
 
                                                Jim & Nikki
[Posted in FML issue 1086]