To Gary and Carla,
 
I think the reason your ferret tries to eat his or her food away from the
cage is because as the food is crunched it is droped.  This means that your
ferret is trying to eat somewhere where the food will not drop into the pit
being the bottom of the cage.
 
My Taz who was badly neglected before she came to me has alway had a
problem with her.  Well, not really a problem but she will take her food
and bring it in a little bed I leave at the bottom of her cage to eat it.
What I have observed is that even though she is not in a wire bottom cage
anymore like before and now her cage is always clean and has a full bottom,
she still has the instinct to bring her food in a spot that is easy for her
to get the dropped pieces.  I would suggest not to try to disipline him/her
but instead make it feel that it is eating in a spot where the droped food
is still accessible to him/her.  I have used a vinyl or other type placemat
under the bowls and I don't use wire bottom cages whithout placing folded
up blankets on the wire.  Use your imagination to see what will fit or work
for your fuzzie.  Good luck.
 
Francine and the crew of ???????????????????
[Posted in FML issue 2751]