Hello.  I write again.  First, problems with the litter box, and questions
about food and things.  I am clearly a first-time ferret owner, and I think
she knows that.
 
To overlap a little bit- I got Daphne from a friend at work.  He had her only
a week or two when it was decided by everyone else in his house that he should
get rid of her.  HE got her from someone ELSE at my work.  (I had no idea so
many people at my place of employment were into ferrets :)
 
I got to the original owners and they told me all.  She's had her shots.  She's
been neutered.  And she's about 2-3 years old.
 
The first owners, though, had kept her caged up all the time.  I didn't find
this out until I had been keeping her OUT of her cage for long periods of time.
I figured she liked it, checking out every square inch of my house and seeming
to be in a good mood.
 
But now I think she's realizing that I'm a pretty relaxed owner.  She started
tipping over the trash cans and going through them all the time.  ALL of the
time.  I'd put it up, she'd knock it over.  Nothing really stopped her.  She
never really chewed on anything, but the bitter apple I got doesn't do a darned
thing for the trash cans.  (I realize it's for chewing, but I thought maybe it
would deter her a bit).  Now I keep the cans on small tables or stools above
the ground.
 
Just about anywhere I keep her cat food, she'll find a way to get to it and
eat right out of the bag or box INSTEAD of her bowl.  I'll put some in her bowl
and she'll still head for the full supply.  She's real good about not over-
eating, so I can usually keep some in the bowl at all times and she'll be okay,
but I don't understand why she likes the whole of it instead.
 
I waited for a long while for her to adjust to ME after I got her (it's been
almost 2 months) but she still shys away from me when I want to hold her.
Picking her up isn't always a problem, but when I have her, and she's close
to the ground/chair/bed/whatever she'll try to wiggle away.  If I pick her
up and carry her, she'll just go limp and hang on me until I put her down.
Not quite the effect I had expected.  She's given me the impression that she'll
hang around if she has to, but if an escape is near she'll take it.
 
I try to treat her right.  Always make sure she has her food and water (man,
she's a drinker, often 10-12 ounces of water a day -- it might be normal, but
it sure surprised me), and I even give her raisins.  I've never had to spray
the bitter apple anywhere but the open power and phone cords I wanted to point
out "just in case" she got into the biting habit.  I give her a finger-full of
Ferretone, though maybe not often enough according to the FML (I usually
find she does something good once every day or two -- but with her attitude I
don't know if the ferretone has, or will, change her)
 
Does anyone have any ideas how I can get this little rug-rat to like me back?
She's so beautiful, sometimes playful (for a whole peak of 10 minutes before
she gets tired of ME to do something by herSELF) and I just want her to accept
me.
 
pooh.                        John
 
[Posted in FML issue 0702]