I was just hoping that somebody could PLEASE offer me some advice on keeping
my younger ferret, Scooter for digging all of the food out of his bowl and
wasting it.  He's been doing this all of his life (he's almost one and a
half years old), and I'd hoped he would grow out of it.  Unfortunately, that
doesn't seem to be happening.
 
I first started him off with a flat cat food bowl, and he would dig all of
the food out of it and leave it on the floor.  I then progressed to the
Ferret Outfitters' J-feeder, but he digs the food out of that, too.  This
weekend, I bought him a pet bird feeder which hooks onto the side of the
cage, and which has a hood over the food which I thought would make it too
difficult for him to dig at the food.  He proceeded to promptly empty it
with great glee.
 
We are wasting a LOT of food right now, and I'm afraid of attracting bugs to
the food, as well.  I use the expensive 8-in-1 ferret food for my guys, and
Scooter's little habit is QUITE expensive.  What's even more aggravating
than the digging is that Scooter refuses to touch food which has been on the
floor, and just gives me a "What?  Eat the dirty food?  Are you CRAZY?" look
when I offer it to him or put it back in the feeder.  (Paddington is a
sweetheart, and will eat food out of the feeder (WITHOUT digging), or off
the floor, without complaint.
 
I don't think this is a "boredom" thing; it's just an annoying habit.
(Scooter is also an inveterate plant digger when given half an opportunity).
Can someone PLEASE give me some advice on how to solve this?
 
Thanks!
[Posted in FML issue 1612]