Just a couple comments (sorry this is so long!)...
 
On making sure your ferrets eat: Ferrets have such a high metabolism rate
that they can get sick really fast, and also they can get healthy really
fast.  It is really important to make sure they keep eating.  Even if they
don't want to, you might have to force feed them.  A couple years ago three
of my ferrets were really sick (slept all the time, ate absolutely nothing
on their own and pooped smelly soup) for 2 1/2 weeks.  They were on
antibiotics the whole time, but I had to force feed them (food and water)
every 3-4 hours/ 5-6 times a day for 2 1/2 weeks.  That was definitely a
strain on me, but in the end--they actually *gained* weight during their
sickness.  All 3 of them came out of it more or less with flying colors.
 
My ferrets eat Iams kitten food, so when they are really sick I get them
the canned version and RbeefS it up, so to speak, with ferrevite and canned
food from the vet's (specifically for sick animals).  It tastes good and
goes down really easy, no extra crunchies the blender didn't get and you
avoid any extra strain you might cause from a change in their diet (?).
 
Disciplining your ferret: The first couple ferrets I got were already
adults (1 1/2yrs), which I think is a good way to go for first time ferret
owners.  They're past the baby high energy/chew everything stage, but
they're still young enough to have energy.  Getting a baby as your first
ferret can be quite an experience.  The first baby i got was my fifth
ferret, so i had some experience and some ideas of what to expect.
 
Talking to your ferret and handling your ferret a lot are very important.
Both get your ferret used to important aspects of you--your voice and your
scent.  When you need to discipline your ferret make sure you yell "NO!"
really loud, make it as different as possible as the way you normally speak
to them so they will learn to pay attention.  I have had friends say RnoS
in a slightly above conversational tone when my baby was chewing on
them--she ignored them.  But if they yelled she would stop.
 
Corporal punishment?  I avoid this at all costs but I have had to resort
to the flick on the nose on a couple occasions (less then the number of
fingers I still have on both hands).  The less you use this the more
effective it is when you might need to.  As long as it is an *unusual*
thing in your household the ferret will learn it has done something wrong.
On the other hand though if you can clearly establish a "happy voice" and
an "unhappy voice" this is a more effective tool.
 
CONSISTENCY in your training methods is the most important thing.
CONSISTENCY in voice and handling works wonders.
 
One comment about cage time-outs: Some people swear by this, and some
people say it doesn't work.  It doesnUt work with my ferrets at all, but
thatUs b/c my ferrets *like* their cage.  Their food and water and favorite
hammock is in there.  They don't consider it a punishment when I put them
in their cage--they just go to sleep, or go eat.
 
Favorite toys: My ferret Martin loves my slippers.  He runs them between
the closet, the bed, and the cage.  TheyUre constantly on the move, and I'm
not sure if that's b/c he's trying to keep them away from the other ferrets
(or me), but he'll be waddling along, run across the "scent of the
slipper", grab it and high-tail it (faster than a speeding roadrunner) over
to the closet.  He'll emerge, satisfied, and waddle off at his normal slow
speed.  Ten minutes later I'll see him streak by from the closet to the
bed, dragging a slipper.  Ten minutes later....there goes Martin, streaking
from the bed to the closet with a slipper in his mouth.  Ten minutes
later... you catch you pattern, I'm sure...:)
 
Minta
(& Linus...huh, what'd you say that litter box was for?
Zooey..I'm sick, let me sit on your shoulder all day long..
Martin....must move slippers...must move slippers...must move slippers...
Sybil....*pay attention to me* now!!!!)
[Posted in FML issue 2621]