>After a couple attempts at force-feeding both of them, Kirk told me to
>just let them drink the Ensure when they want too, since neither of them
>seem to be in any health danger at the moment -- he said the force-feeding
>would just make them hate me and doesn't think it's really necessary yet.
 
I don't think forcefeeding would make them hate you if you do it right. We
have a couple who are very very picky about eating. When they have been sick
and needed to be forcefed to keep their strength up, there have been
battles. However, this usually works for us: Go get a really huge syringe
from the vet (no needle) - when i say huge I mean a half inch in diameter
and 5 inches long, then go to the grocery store and buy baby food, we get
turkey, beef, chicken or veal Gerbers 2nds (the meat 'only' ones are better
- much higher protein than the chicken & rice or beef & vegetables etc),
then fill up the syringe with about 5 teaspoons of baby food. Sit down,
scruff the ferret by the back of the neck and let her legs dangle right
above your lap. Look into her eyes and put the end of the syringe right up
to her front teeth until she opens her mouth a little and squirt some food
in, just keep squirting and keep up with her swallowing. You've got to be
quick. Some will come out and get on their nose and stuff, ignore this until
you get enough in their stomach. Make sure you don't overfill their mouth,
you DO NOT want them to inhale it. All the while speak in nice tones telling
her what a good girl she is. Then after you get a good 5 tsp in her, let her
down, give her some linatone or banana and she will scamper off licking her
lips. Now, in my house, when we offer the baby food on a plate or a spoon,
they grimace like it is arsenic or something. We had even tried baby food on
a plate covered in linatone (which ours simply die for) and they would have
nothing to do with it. But when you feed it in the syringe, they kind of
like it. Gary H. has mentioned before some sort of sucking instinct... I
believe this is probably the case. After a couple times at this you will
become a pro, and the ferret will look forward to a full tummy...
Forcefeeding, means just that, FORCE feeding. And, it does have a place in
caring for animals. Also, we also have a couple that hate Nutrical, but love
Ferretvite (also a high calorie nutritional supplement made by 8 in 1 and at
pet stores), you might also try this although I think meat baby food is
better... Charlene
[Posted in FML issue 1275]