> From: Brad Laraway <[log in to unmask]>
> Subject: Re: Ferret List Issue 787
> Date: Thu, 7 Apr 1994 13:28:33 -0400
>
Brad-thanks for responding quickly.  Many of us newbies are very
concerned about what must seem trivial to more experience ferret
wranglers, and Chris & the vets here & the people on this list are
providing a tremendous service.
 
> > [...]
> > already learning how hard she can bite before I'll complain.
> > [...]
>         As far as I'm concerned you shouldn't let your ferret bite
> at all. Even if it doesn't hert.  Later in life she may play bite
> someone and bang your in deep S*&T.  [...]
 
Point well taken, I have changed my thinking on this.  I got the idea
to allow nipping and punish biting from the Fox & Chuck Morton book,
and I think back to my cat nipping sometimes (to train me :-), but
it's definitely a bad idea.
 
> > Is it normal for the kit not to eat right away?  I brought her hom
> > night and now it's wed afternoon and she hasn't touched her moiste
> > Science Diet Growth!  She is
> > very playful and seems healthy in all other respects.  Should
> > I be concerned?  She doesn't seem to be interested in ferretone ei
> > I guess I shouldn't wait for the response to this, I'll call the p
> > store.
>
>         Some ferrets take awhile before they eat.  Was the pet
> store feeding them S.D.?  Sometimes change of food also causes
> ferrets to stop eating.  Some ferrets don't like ferretone or
> linatone at all. One of mine would rather die before trying
> ferretone.
 
Evidently the pet store (Parrots of the World) feeds their ferrets
moistened monkey chow.  I'm sure that monkey chow is _very_ low in
protien, I know it's cheap.  I wonder what Marshall farms feeds them?
Anyway, I not only moistened the Science Diet, but I microwaved it for
15 seconds to be sure it was soggy (then cooled it before serving).
This gave it the consistance of monkey chow and it did the trick.
Now I'll slowly wean Belle over to just moistened S.D., and then
to dry.  BTW the Ferretone is no longer a problem, she can't get enough
of it.
 
> > Second question:  She seems to enjoy playing, rolling and swatting
> > litter, but she wont poop in it.  She tries to use a corner and I
> > move her into the tray and then she won't go.  When she plays in t
> > tray I take her out.  Am I doing something wrong?
>
>         Just take alittle ferret poop and mix it in with the clean
> litter. Also keep alittle soiled litter in there every time you
> change the litter, till she knows it's for pooping not playing.
 
Leaving the poop in, constantly taking her out when she played and
putting her in when she starts backing into a corner (and de-oderizing
the corners she was using) did the trick.  She is doing about 75%
in the box over the last 2 days!
 
 -------------------------------------------------
> From: [log in to unmask]
> Date: Wed, 6 Apr 1994 23:39:01 -0400
> Subject: To Anon-Stacey,...curly Butt!
>
> [...]
> Oh, another thing, This past week I've seen 4 Marshall Farm
> ferrets, adults. All very nice in temperament by the way.  But all
> of them were very thin and very longish, and had very mottled
> markings.  The masks were totally gone on two of them, wich was
> really strange to see on a Standard sable, and one of them had a
> White bib, but only in patches, Very marbled.  One of them I have
> boarding here looks like any other Sable, mask and all.
>  But what I was wanting to know, and this is to the other
> Marshall Farm Ferret owners,  are these comman traits for that
> genetic pool? I have never seen a Sable totally without a mask
> before, meaning....... a completely dark brown face.
 
My new sable jill Belle is from Marshall Farm.  She has a brown nose, a white
band, somewhat mottled, behind it and very subtle grey band, almost
non-existant, across her face above her eyes, more pronounced directly
above her eyes, like big grey eyebrows.  The tips of her ears are white.
Her fur is beige and her guard hairs are black.  The overall appearance
is chocolate.
 
Belle is about 6 weeks old, will her coloring change?
 
I could have purchased a white with red eyes and there was a cinnamon
that was being held for someone, both from Marshall Farms.
 
Are you concerned that these ferrets may not qualify as masketeers? (just
humor, or my approximation of humor :-)
 
Sorry I've gone so long,
__
SteveS & Belle in NYC
 
[Posted in FML issue 0793]