To Pat Ball:
 
I have 3 ferrets that are chronic towel-eaters.....there's not much you can do
to stop them from doing this.  These particular 3 have been doing it since I
first purchased them almost 4 years ago (about 6 wks old at the time).  When
they were 6 months old and still doing this, I spoke to my vet about it, and
he told me if they were still doing it at that age, then they probably
wouldn't outgrow it.  So far, they have proved him correct!
 
I don't give them blankets or towels.  These guys are little pac-men.  They eat
lottery tickets, check stubs (thank goodness for direct deposit!), socks, paper
bags, towels, blankets.......they don't eat their hammies, though.
 
I've always felt bad because they've never had anything to burrow under -
I've tried the upside down cardboard box, but they ate that too.......
 
Then I found "hanging tent" and thought that might work.  It is a flat top
tent with 8 tabs (4 on top, 4 on bottom) so that you can hang it in a cage,
and there is circular hole so they can get inside.  It's like a hanging,
covered hammie.....they can also lie on top of the tent since it is flat,
like a normal hammie.  I've been using this since 10/94 and they haven't
even taken a nibble out of it.
 
I have a queen size flannel sheet (folded up of course) that I spread out on
top of one of the cages to make it more den-like, and when these guys get
done playing, they climb on top of that cage, curl up in the sheet, and eat
it!  I'll bet over the course of 2 years, they have eaten most of the queen
size blanket.
 
Uh, sheet, not blanket....before you all jump on my case for letting them
do that......I DON'T 'LET' THEM DO IT - if I catch them I put them back in
their cage where it's safer.
 
Needless to say, they get regular doses of Laxatone 3x/week.  These guys
have stomachs of iron....the cat knocked a spool of thread off the counter
once, and the 3 pac-men ate it - I didn't notice of course until they
started passing all this strange looking stuff, and when I examined it, I
realized it was thread!! :(  Did I get out the Laxatone fast!!!
 
Fortunately, no one has been blocked - YET - and I hope to keep it that way,
but I can't tell you how many socks I have thrown out because they have been
partially eaten.
 
The hanging tent is sold by C-Treasurer's Ferrets in Florida - our club
doesn't sell them so this isn't really an ad - they cost about $18.00 and
that includes shipping.  Debbie Coburn's phone # is 407-380-8712 if you
or anyone else is interested.  It satisfied my need to see them have something
to burrow in, and they love it - and they haven't taken a bite out of it at all!
Debbie Riccio
WNYFLFA
[Posted in FML issue 1156]