Hi All!
I've found that when I start ferrets off on a variety of foods they tend
to be less picky about what they eat (like dog food!).  While this is
easier when they are young it can still be accomplished with older ferrets.
This is especially important if (and when) they get sick - it is much
easier to feed them a new type of food (like baby food) if they are
already use to different foods.  Because of "misplaced" ferrets coming in,
I keep a wide variety of foods available at all times (not knowing what
they may have eaten before they come to me).  I've not had much success
with baby foods but everyone likes Science Diet A/D (and would eat it
every day if I let them), and they do get 2 cans of Kal Kan chicken and
rice each day (one a.m. & p.m.).  This helps them get use to different
textures of foods too.  For force feedings I use a syringe and it only
takes a couple times of squirting a few drops just inside the mouth before
they catch on and readily eat it.  Prissy only eats from the syringe and
sometimes when she's fussy I have to convince her she needs to eat but
that doesn't last more than 1-2 feedings.  It just takes patience.  I
never put anything down her throat (for fear of aspiration), just in her
mouth and she does the rest.
 
Just a few coughs and stuffy noses left but this stuff is highly contagious.
Nancy and Shari brought their 2 10 week olds over and one went home with
watering eyes and a dry nose(uh oh).  There must be a sore throat cause some
are still hacking.  (I've got blisters in my mouth so I can only imagine
how Boomerang felt - how he is? - boy they hurt)
 
Hugs to all.  tle
[Posted in FML issue 1112]