Hi Folks,
 
        I had a nice chat with Sally Heber of the American Ferret
     Association on Thursday night.  I mentioned some of the
     questions/concerns regarding nipping and biting, recommended ferret
     food(s), and the use/overuse of Linatone and/or Ferretone.
 
        Sally recommended three ways to stop the biting.  First, the most
     common attempt is the "Flick on the Nose".  She agreed with my
     previous posting that you need to flick them firmly and say "No!" very
     sternly at the same time.  Another method she recommended was to pick
     them up by the scruff and sternly state "No!" with a good shake.  The
     last method she said to try is to grab the little monster by the
     whiskers close to the face and again say "No!" with a stern voice.
     This may sound brutal, but Sally has been breeding ferrets for over 13
     years, now, and currently has approximately 50 ferrets in her
     possesion.  She is definitely an expert in ferret issues.
 
        In regards to what food to feed ferrets (Iams, Science Diet, etc.),
     Sally, like myself, has completely changed her ferrets' diets to
     "Totally Ferret".  I am not pushing this product for the manufacturer.
      I am just recommending a ferret food that I have found to be a marked
     improvement over any kitten/cat food I've tried to feed my ferrets in
     the past.
 
        Lastly, the Linatone questions of how much and how often.  I
     personally stopped putting Linatone on my ferrets' food after they
     turned one year.  I ran this by Sally and she said "Good!"  She stated
     that Linatone/Ferretone as a treat is okay, but not to add it to food
     after kits get older.  Instead, make sure their diet is well balanced.
      Also, how much is too much?  Well, she and I agree that four pumps
     (staed by a previous posting as to what is recommended on the bottle)
     is far too much.  I used to put one good pump of Linatone on their
     food in the morning, and another pump on their food in the late
     afternoon.
 
        After a year of being on Iams Kitten food and Linatone, my ferrets
     started to gain too much weight.  I put them on Iams regular
     maintenance cat food (in the orange bag) and stopped the Linatone.
     They lost the excessive weight but their fur was not as soft.  I've
     had them on Totally Ferret for about six months now and their weight
     is very stable and their fur is very soft and full.  Though they
     didn't take to the new food immediately, they've come to enjoy it and
     the benefits are now visible.  Again, this is not an endorsement, I'm
     just sharing my experiences.
 
                                        Happy New Year!
                                        Alan Braunstein
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[Posted in FML issue 1059]