Why do some ferrets love to chew cloth? And why do many of those ferrets have their favorite kind of cloth to chew? An anecdote my father-in-law (a retired scientist) told about an unrelated animal may provide some insight.... Some years ago, it had been noted by a number of farmers and ranchers who raised pigs, that the pigs had a habit of chewing on charcoal. Agricultural scientists were called in to try and find why the pigs were doing this - was there some nutrient missing from their diet that the charcoal provided? or was it the taste of the charcoal that the pigs liked? The scientists took the charcoal and broke it down into as many of it's individual components as they could. They then offered these components to the pigs, to see which of them was the nutrient the pigs wanted. The pigs refused every one. The scientists took whole charcoal, and powdered and liquified it at various consistencies, to try to find the taste the pigs preferred.... the pigs refused everything. And yet, the pigs would continue to happily munch charcoal nuggets. After several months of research, with the pigs refusing everything except the whole charcoal chunks, the scientists finally concluded that the reason the pigs liked to munch on charcoal was recreational.... they liked the way it crunched. I've had several fabric chewing ferrets here.... and every one of them has preferred a particular kind of fabric - usually tightly-knitted or flannel fabrics. And I think I know why, now. If I can get close enough to listen, without disturbing the ferret while she's chewing, I can hear a distinct squeaking sound as the fabric rubs against the teeth. <g> Carla Smith <>< WhyNot? Ferrets http://www.whynotferrets.com ICQ: 29478475 member, Rio Grande Domestic Ferret Club, El Paso, TX "Every pet deserves to be loved, and to have someone cry over them when they're gone." [Posted in FML issue 2925]