Hi, Bob C --
 
I wrote to you via your very overloaded email, but just in case my
message got eaten by your spam filters, I thought I might post a message
here (I also hope that my message might be of interest to other people,
which is why I'm co-opting the mailing list).
 
First, let me thank you for your very fine presentation on ferret dental
health.  It was absolutely fascinating.  I wish I could have stayed
longer but had to get back to my Mom's studio (she was presenting
workshops on paper marbling and I'd promised to be back in time to help
clean up).  I have gone into the Ferret Mailing List Archives to find
earlier articles and have found many by you in regards to ferret dental
health (and my most favorite message, "Up On the Roof", which still has
me laughing so hard that I cry).
 
This is really good stuff.  But the powerpoint's images really hit home.
Do you have these set up as a presentation on the Web anywhere?  I went
through the archives and saw you mention something up and coming -- is
that up yet?  If not, would you like me to put something together for
you?  I can't guarantee gorgeous graphics 'cause my computer is on a slow
ship to Japan right now, but I should easily be able to translate your
powerpoint into a slideshow in a couple of days.
 
Thank you very much for your suggestions regarding ferret food.  For the
benefit of everyone, I asked Bob how you can get a ferret off of one food
onto another: my ferrets are both Marshall Farms ferrets, and although
the younger one is more "open-minded" (open-mouth-ed?) to new foods, the
older one will starve herself rather than not eat kibble.  I want them
on something more healthy, like chicken.  His suggestion was to get the
ferrets onto chicken baby food first, then transfer them over to Bob's
Chicken Gravy, and he described the process for getting the ferrets onto
chicken: basically wipe it onto their mouths until they get used to the
idea of "this is good; even though I don't recognize the smell as food, I
can eat this".  The problem, as he put it, is this: once you switch to
chicken, you can't ever let the ferret get the scent/taste of kibble
again, or they'll switch right back in a heartbeat.
 
Since my husband and I are in the process of transferring to Japan, I've
decided to hold off on any major lifestyle changes for the ferrets (both
because we're in the middle of a huge change and also because we'll have
to have someone ferret-sit until I can come back and get the kids --
long story).  But one change I wanted to make right away -- based on
the strength of Bob's description of how damaging straight kibble is to
the ferrets' teeth and his recommendations via his powerpoint -- is to
soften the food.  I mix a bit of hot water with the kibble and make a
mash of it.  I've been feeding this to them and they seem to enjoy it;
they like eating out of my hands.  The kibble, because it's so heavy in
carbs/starches, turns into a very sticky mash, and although it's amusing
to see them smacking at it almost exactly like a dog with peanut butter,
I am looking forward to getting them off of this stuff.
 
Since they have a little trouble with a big ol' pile of sticky mash,
I break it up into very small chunks that they can "chew" (more like
"shear") andswallow.  Today they actually would come to me, get a
chunk, and go "stash" it before coming back for another (we're at my
mother-in-law's and the room is unfamiliar, so Slinky "stashes" her food
by a lamp and Pixel "stashes" his pile under a chair).  It's fun to watch
them engage in this behaviour -- they're so /careful/ with the food
chunks, as if carrying diamonds.
 
Okay, </anecdote>: Bob, what's your thought on jerky?  I'm talking about
dried meat strips, such as I might make in my dehydrator (without
nitrates orany other preservatives).  If I can coax the beasties into
eating that stuff, surely it's better than (say) kibble, yes?  Does
something happen in the "jerking" process that would reduce its
nutritional value (such as cooking does to raw meat)?
 
New topic: to the anonymous poster who asked about green runny stool:
that sounds like ECE to me, which is incredibly contagious and very
dangerous.  I recommend that /while you are calling your vet/ you go
to the Ferret Mailing List Archives search page
(http://listserv.cuny.edu/Scripts/wa.exe?S1=ferret-search) and do a
search on "ECE".
 
The tarriness in the stool is partially-digested blood and is very, very,
very bad.  Call your vet /immediately/ and quarantine any ferrets you
have with these symptoms.  You will have to be extremely aggressive with
hygiene -- such as: when you go to handle the ferrets with ECE (if that's
what it is), when you come out it's best to take off all your clothes and
shower very thoroughly before you get near any other ferrets.  And watch
your feet, too -- you can track it out on your shoes or feet.  I'm not
certain on this, but I believe that it's relatively easy to treat (your
big problem will be making sure that the ferts get enough liquids).
 
I would expect a flood of relevant postings from other readers, too (and
most will probably be a lot better than mine!).
 
Thanks!
 
 -- Kat / Pixel / Slinky
[Posted in FML issue 5352]