Hello from western Massachusetts.  We got Chloe the Weasel at a tag sale(!)
a month ago... I am a new ferret owner; G owned one several years ago & had
been interviewing for a new one.  We were lucky to find her - she is playful
and hilarious and affectionate and gentle, and we all (2 adults, 3
teenagers) fell in love.
 
We were also lucky to find a veterinarian just a mile or 2 away who is
experienced with ferrets - and to find FLM.  You guys have answered a lot
of questions for us!
 
So here are a couple more.  Chloe was not trained at all (except litter
trained) by previous owners, and we need to teach her to come when called.
She doesn't seem to relate to our voices or other sounds we make.  (We're
pretty sure she hears, but just never had a reason to perceive sounds as
relevant.) Add to that, she is very limited dietarily.  The only thing she
recognizes as food is kibble.  We have added ferretone to her kibble and she
now likes that and will lick it off our fingers, but she doesn't accept
raisins, packaged ferret treats, etc etc, and eats around anything new mixed
in her kibble.  (It was really interesting to read the posting a few days
ago about food imprinting.) So we're thinking if we coat somenthing like
raisins with ferretone, maybe it'd come to be a treat; once we find
something that is a treat for her, we get her to associate it with a sound
(what sound?) Does this sound right?  Suggestions would be welcome!
 
We did make a great toy - sewed together a bunch of pants legs, with a few
branches in them crotches) - yards and yards of changable tunnel.  deli
containers with the bottoms cut out hold the ends open.
 
Rosy the dog resented Chloe at first, but learned to like her when I fed
Rosy ferret treats (well Chloe wasn't using them) for being tolerant.  Now
she is very solicitous of the ferret and has once or twice played
ferret-style.  (The cat, on the other hand, is more convinced than ever
that she should have been an only pet.)
 
We're thinking we should get a second ferret to keep Chloe company.  She has
a pretty nice cage, not enormous, but I think big enough for 2, but probably
we'd need a second cage while they got to know each other?  Any advice
there?  We are handy - could probably make a temporary cage from hardware
cloth & plywood or plastic?
 
Thank you all!  We're new to the internet too, & this is just the kind of
resource it's cool to find!
 
S & G in Shelburne Falls
[Posted in FML issue 2355]