Thanks for answering all of my many questions about ferret dentals.
You seem to know more about it than any vet I've ever been to.  I have
learned so much from your posts and also loved your paper about the
black-footed ferret, polecats and ferrets (don't remember the exact
title; I read it awhile ago).
 
It makes a lot of sense that eating hard kibble would cause problems for
an animal whose teeth are not designed for it.  Rocky can eat bones more
easily, and I'm glad he does.
 
I tried moistening the Rocky's kibble this morning.  Since he was hungry
and waiting for his food, I just put some water on it, turned the kibble
over, and gave it to him, even though it was only slightly moistened.  He
seemed to like it.  He drank the excess water first (he LOVES liquids)
and when he was eating it, it was much less crunchy sounding and he
seemed to eat it more easily.  He does not (and has never) liked it when
mushy, unless it's hidden in chicken gravy.  But I would imagine that
even taking away some of the hardness would help.  I do keep a full dish
of kibble that would last him 3-4 days in the event that I get hit by a
bus or electrocuted by a Con Edison metal plate (as happened to a woman
recently in NYC).  But now I will moisten his food and serve it to him a
couple of times a day.  He also gets chicken gravy 3-4 times a week, and
other chicken occasionally.
 
One of the things I give Rocky as a treat is Purina Kitten Chow.  I
noticed that the pieces are smaller, thinner and softer than any ferret
kibble.  I was able to easily break one in half.  He likes it a lot and
it is very easy for him to eat.  It's too bad there isn't a kibble
designed like that for ferrets; maybe it wouldn't be so hard on their
teeth.  Another good treat is freeze-dried liver.
 
Ferret kibble seems ideally designed for mice, and I'll tell you my
uninvited mice loved Natural Gold.  They hid it in all sorts of places
in great quantities, picking it out even though Rocky's bowl had a mix
with TF.  It has a very sweet smell which might be why they liked it.
(I knew it wasn't Rocky's stash because it was in places he couldn't
possibly fit and in much greater quantities.)
 
At least I don't have to worry about cage biting.  Rocky never did that,
even when he did live in a cage.  However, when he was a kit, if he
didn't get out of the cage when he wanted he would stage what I called a
"prison riot." He'd knock down his food and water bowls; throw the towels
covering the wire shelves into the litter box; and get underneath the top
shelf, push it up and unhook it, making it collapse.  Somehow I knew he
never liked being confined LOL!  We were made for each other, as I didn't
want to have a cage either.  The funny thing is, since he's had total
freedom he seems to play with me less, plus he in no way adapts to MY
time schedule.
 
Shron & Rocky
[Posted in FML issue 4529]