>>From:    Sukie Crandall <[log in to unmask]>
>>Bill K. said that he had not run into clear alphas. [...]
>>Our alphas have always been female, and when they get used to the task
>>they have always matured to be gentle with the position
 
We have no "alpha" ferrets as near as I can tell, although we have two real
jerks that are uncommonly aggressive.  Big Tunk will beat the stuffing out
of any ferrets that isn't one of the 7 that he lives with.  He does damage
and he does it fast.  Old, young, male, female, little, big whatever -- Tunk
has no biases, everyone is there for him to rip apart.  Milo is the same
way.  They are both early alters.  My other ferrets are all really easy
going and get along with everyone.  Yesterday we introduced Tunk to a big
young hob, and inside of two minutes he has him pinned and was taking chunks
out of his neck, and then Milo waddled over to join in the "fun".  Poor
Zippee looks like one big scab now.  The 8 neuters get along great, except
for two females who squabble.  All the whole animals get along great with
each other and with new ferrets.  But thanks to Tunk and Milo, we need to do
shift playtime.  Tunk could kill a kit if he put his mind to it.
 
>From:    Sergio Coccia <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: Ferret food
>I have changed Slinky's diet from Hagen Nutrients in the pink bag to a
>mixture of Iams kitten and techni-cal for kittens.  Is techinc-cal a new
>brand in the Us or is it just new in Canada.
 
Techni-Cal is not a new brand, it's been around for a while.  It's cheaper
because it is Canadian made, and it's an alright food.  I don't like the
ingredients list as much as, say, Iams.  My cats ate Techni-Cal for years,
but I prefer that they at Sensible Choice now.  Our ferrets get a mixture of
Iams kitten/cat, Sensible Choice kitten/cat, 8-in-1 Ferret, sometimes
Science Diet kitten and sometimes Hagen Ferret.  Sort of depends what we
have in the house at the moment.  My ferrets will eat anything as long as it
is shaped like kibble.
 
My Fat Ferret
 
I have asked this before, but maybe someone can help.  Milo is obese, not
just big, not just fat, but enormously big and fat.  When he urinates (my
guys use paper when they are out) he cannot lift his big belly off the
ground sufficiently and thus gets pee all over his belly, which he is too
fat to clean off.  His penis area and belly get all red and inflamed and he
needs to be wiped down with a damp cloth.  He is so fat he can't clean his
-- er -- bottom, so that needs to be cleaned for him in water too.  Four or
five ferrets at a time use his belly as a pillow, and when you hold him up
under the arms people go "ooohhh, ahhhh" because he is unbelievably gross.
Should I worry?  Should he be dieting?  He can't even play in the tunnels
with the other guys - he doesn't FIT.  We love him dearly, and worry about
potential health problems with this unbelieveable amount of extra weight.
He can run (albeit slowly) but he can't even pull himself up onto low level
objects with all that butt behind him.  And winter is coming - he's going to
add another 6 lbs and he'll just be a great big grey soccer ball with legs!
Any suggestions?
 
Sheena
Wherret Ferrets Halfway House and Ferretry
Ferret Association of Greater Vancouver
[Posted in FML issue 1680]