Hi all!
This is my first post to FML, I just hope it goes well :>).
 
I have read the FAQ, the past weeks postings, and a book on ferrets, but
still have a few questions.
 
My ferRAT is named Ottoman (Simpson's reference).  I know they are not
rodents, but sometimes ... I wonder.
 
I got him 2 weeks ago and he was 6 weeks old.  He has all the necessary
vaccines and operations to make him pet worthy and not stud worthy.
 
After that wonderful introduction here are my questions:
 
1) I have been feeding him Marshall ferret food.  Most things I have read
   talk generally about food,  I am just wondering if people's experience
   specifically with this brand have been good.  And anyone with any
   helpful suggestions would be appreciated.
 
2) Most things I have read say you should give your fuzzy friend a couple
   of drops of ferratone a day, while on the bottle it says kits should
   get 4 squirts of ferratone (alot more than a couple of drops) a day.
   I think it was in the FAQ where I read that too much ferratone could
   be a bad thing.  Could someone please tell me what the correct dosage
   should be.
 
3) My little bugger has a biting problem,  he never stops.  From the minute
   I take him out he tries to bite everything.  I have tried everything:
        a) yelling when it hurts.  (He just seems to ignore it)
        b) saying NO! loudly in his face (Just looks around and continues)
        c) hitting him on the nose when saying NO! (he thinks I am playing
                and starts to bite harder)
        d) dragging by his scruff and hissing (bites harder)
        e) time out in the cage. (gets upset, runs around his cage whining,
                when I finally let him out he still continues his biting)
   This is starting to get frustrating and worse ( he is starting to
        bite harder more often).
   I play with him 4 to 5 hours a day at least and he is constantly held by
   myself and my girlfriend.  Any time I am around he is allowed to explore
   my room, but most of the time I end up playing with him.  He likes to
   play rough, which is why I think the nose flicking did no good.  Any
   suggestions would be very much appreciated.
 
4)  I had originally gotten him some normal non-clumping litter.  This stuff
    was awful.  It did no good and I had to change the entire box almost
    every day.  I just bought the clumping kind and think it is great.  I
    read in the faq that this could cause problems in some ferrets.  How
    common is it that ferrets have problems caused by this type of litter,
    and am I making a serious mistake by using it.  It makes my life easier,
    but if I endanger him I will use something else.  Anyone with good
    suggestions on litter would be helpful.  He lives with me in my small
    room, and I need to be able to clean his litter box easily and control
    the smell.  The first litter drove people away from my room ,the second
    works great, but again I don't want to put him in danger.
 
5)  A friend of mine has 4 ferrets and said that 2 ferrets make a happy
    ferret.  She said she could get 1 year olds for me for free.  I want
    to wait until Otto gets to be 1 year old before I get another.  Will
    this be a problem, if he has lived alone for a year and then I get
    another?
 
THanks in advance to all who help me.  I am looking forward to being
a long time ferret owner.  For every once of frustration he causes, he
makes up for it with  a ton of fun and love.
 
I love pets and can't wait to get my own place to continues my already long
list of pets:
 
deceased: 2 cats, 2 dogs, 2 hamsters
present: 2 iguanas, 1 ferret
 
Thanks,
Sean Marrinan
CAIP Center
Rutgers University
[Posted in FML issue 1239]