In the first place we do NOT force feed except in extreme situations
because there's always the chance of food being inhaled.  We find that many
times just using a spoon or fingers works (sometimes you may have to start
with the fingers and then go to the spoon to get more in).  Singing to them
can get them to eat, as can having them think someone will steal their
food.  In some cases a vet may want to use Winstrol which works well when
not counter-indicated.  When there is a problem holding weight the FIRST
thing we do is get a veterinary assessment; that's ESSENTIAL.  When we do
have to force fed we have a dropper type which is so perfectly IDEAL it may
as well have been made for feeding ferrets.  Look at your pharmacy for a
LARGE dropper with markings up to somehting like 1 teaspoon on the side.
The top is in turquoise blue and has a non-contrasting clown face in it.
Rather than being a rubber squishy top it's a light weight plastic with
accordian pleats.  It comes on one of those pressed cardboard hanging
cards.  The openning is large enough to deliver a slurry well, and the type
of press top gives you a good amount of control.  They come apart easily to
clean, and they last forever (or until a health scare forces you to throw
tons of stuff away as happned here when Spot had that false positive test,
so now we have to buy some more).
[Posted in FML issue 2459]