To give water or allow caged ferrets to get water many use those water
bottles that have a cap with a metal fixture with a ball in it to hold
water when inverted. The ferret has to push the ball back and water
escapes around the ball to the tongue.

The only advantage to this is the water stays clean. Personally I do
not like those thing where they run out fast leaving the animal dry
until you discover it or fill it no less than once a day.

I use a water bottle that feeds an open pool so the animal can drink
naturally, two or more can drink at the same time. Yes these need to be
cleaned allot where all kinds of things get in there but it provides
more than a gallon of water to the ferret so running out is not about
to happen unless the bottle is broken or you have Peekaboo.

So speaking of Peekaboo. Ha! She has a very curious habit of putting
her two front paws on the edges of the pool and 'dig'. First one paw
for about 10 to 20 strokes and shifting to the other paw likewise. All
the time her head is below the paws where her nose is bobbing off the
water surface.

I have no idea why she does that. I have a double bowl floor feed dish
I keep water in for when they are on the back porch and Peekaboo will
do the exact same thing on that too.

Eventually she will do the 'dig' action to the water itself making a
pool of water on the floor where she will all but stand on her head to
get the entire top of her head soaking wet between the ears. She does
this every day. I have checked for ear mites or anything else that may
be bothering her but none are to be found. Is just some habit she has.

Anyhow, just wanted to discuss water availability and how I handle it.
The water thingy I have can be had at most pet store and Walmart
(sometimes). Mine needs to be cleaned about every other day or so but
again, it holds plenty of water so they are never dry.

Gordon, Peekaboo and Pester

Rev. J Gordon Bengtson
Aarrow-Ranch Aviation
Mechanicsville, Virginia  23111

[Posted in FML 6155]