Condolences to those with lost, sick, or angeled water bottle warriors...
 
(I got here FIRST!  *MY* Bottle!  But I'm thirsty, too!  So what!  My
Bottle!)
 
One of the first places to look when your otherwise-normal ferret seems
to have a stronger-than-normal smell, is their food and snacks.  More
often than not, the process of breaking down the contents of the food
tends to produce by-products that the ferrets absorbs into their system
and are then exuded in their natural oils that keep their coat and skin
lubricated.
 
I discovered this when I got my first ferret--Mysti-Ferret--and bought the
food recommended by the pet store.  She had a very strong odor to her and
nothing seemed to fix the problem.  I then discovered that she liked my
cat's food (Iams) and decided to save a few dollars.  Instead of buying
separate food for them, I fed the cat and the ferret the same food.
 
The end result was that she got a beautiful coat of fur, her eyes seemed
shiny and bright, her energy level seemed to increase (not only did she
play more, but she stayed awake longer) and HER STRONG ODOR DROPPED
SIGNIFICANTLY!  She took on that "corn chip" smell that so many of us
love in our ferrets (Frito-Lay would fine me for copyright violation if
they walked through my house!).
 
I also discovered that the 8-in-One Ferret Bites snacks gave them a strong
odor (both on their bodies, as well as in their litter boxes) and gaves
the lighter-colored ones a decidedly yellow-orange tinge to their fur.
The ferrets loved the snacks, but removing that snack from their diets
ended the problems with odor and coloration.
 
Now, the Fuzzbutt Rodeo Clowns only get Bandits Ferret Treats (Hey...do I
get a commission on that plug?  :)), the occasional Cherrio and bits of
cheese now and then.  They also get FerreTone and FerretVite as a
suppliment.
 
NOTE: No ferrets were involved in the recent theft of two SUV's from a
local car dealer recently.  The strange calls on your phone bill were an
accident and won't happen again--hopefully.  The Fuzzbutt Rodeo Clowns
are professionals.  You should not try their stunts at home.  Roadside
assistance does not necessarily mean same-week assistance.  Caution: I
brake for butterflies and other unstable wildlife!
 
Todd and the (Does 'unstable wildlife' include ferret owners?) Fuzzbutt
Rodeo Clowns
---
mailto:[log in to unmask]
http://www.netconex.com/toddl/page2/
[Posted in FML issue 3802]