PETE's FERRETS
First of all, thank you to everyone who wrote me with suggestions about my
ferrets (of course, some made me feel like so much poopie, but most were
helpful, and non were mean-spirited)
 
Second.  I just wanted to let you know that I went to the vet with my two
fuzzies the other day to have them checked out, and to get their 12 week
shots.  The vet looked at me funny and said "_How_ old were you told these
were?" and I said "12 weeks" and produced the paperwork.  Turns out that
they were both over a year old (based on size and wear on the teeth).
 
Had I known much about Ferrets before hand, I would have purchased them
from a breeder.  Of course, We're absolutely in love with them now, and I
won't give them up for the world :-) , but I am _po'd_ at the pet store.
I'll be calling them later.  BTWm they have two blue dots in one ear, I
_assume_ that is Marshall Farms.
 
The ferrets (Sanday -- Male, and Penny -- Female) are in perfect health.
Sabrina (my girlfriend) and I were able to convince her family to let them
stay there sometimes, and I will arrange for the other times.  They were
fine (but full of cabin fever!) when I came home Friday night.  I let them
have full run of the house for the whole weekend.
 
FOOD TIPPING
Something I figured out.  For those of you with Food tipping/digging
problems, I found the perfect food dish.  I got a ceramic planter from
KMart.  It's basically a sphere with the top cut off, so the sides curve in
over the top.  The opening is large enough so they can get their heads into
it very easily, and the curved-in sides help prevent them from chucking
their food out of the bowl.
 
GINGER ALE
Go figure, my fuzzies don't give Ferretone a second lick, but they _love_
my ginger ale!  I couldn't keep them out of my glass!  At first I thought
maybe it was just the ice, so I put an ice cube in glass to see if they
liked it, but they ignored it.  Is there anything wrong with giving them
gingerale (Seagrams for the curious) _rarely_ and as a treat?
 
Oh, they love Chow Mein noodles as well :-)
 
LITTER TRAINING
Penny just loves to use this one corner of my house for a bathroom.  So,
cleaned the corner thoroughly with an enzyme product that is specifically
for that purpose, and put newspapers and a litter box into that corner (I
put some litter into the litterbox).  Penny just backed into the corner, up
to the edge of the litterbox (one made for ferrets) and pee'd in _front_ of
it, onto my carpet!  I tried to pick her up and put her in the box, but she
wouldn't have any part of it.
 
I know this is a common problem.  Comments, suggestions?  Was she trying to
use the box, and was that rewardable behaviour? (Sandy did something
similar in the cage, just backed up to the front of the box, and pooped on
the bars).  Maybe I should just put paper in the box instead of litter?
 
Any replies, suggestions and comments (of a constructive nature) would be
greatly appreciated.  Thanks, everyone!
 
Pete Brown, Sabrina, Sandy and Penny
[Posted in FML issue 1639]