Hi all -
 
I have two ferrets.  One (Pogo) is a 4.5 year old male, in good health all
his life.  He has always been very sweet, and has been into licking every
so often (especially when he wakes up).  However, recently he has started
to become almost obsessed with licking me.  If I pick him up, he licks my
hands non-stop, and obviously wants more when I put him down.  He will lick
my ankles and feet if I am barefoot.  I assume this is a salt thing - but
is it anything to worry about?
 
One thing to note in relation - Pogo has always learned by imitating his
ferret buddy.  A year ago, a new ferret named Henry came in from the Luv of
ferrets shelter.  Henry was very skittish about being held, so I trained
him that it was OK to be held by using linatone on a finger when he was
picked up.  Henry learned qucikly, but then generalized and started to lick
my finger whenever I picked him up, even if there was no linatone in sight.
So I can't rule out that Pogo is imitating Henry, but even Henry has never
licked with the intensity or duration that Pogo is now using.
 
Any ideas?
 
Thanks all -
 
Mason, Pogo, Henry, and Leila the cat (who thinks the only thing REALLY
worth licking is a saucer of milk!)
[Posted in FML issue 2701]