A treat that I highly recommend to all ferret owners is a cat tartar control treat. We see distinct differences in the dental condition of ferrets that eat tartar control treats versus those that prefer "soft" treats. With ANY thing a ferret eats, consider the content. Some ferrets are sensitive to corn gluten meal, some experience stomach upsets with high corn content treats (cereals, etc.) Chocolate (especially "dark" chocolates) can be toxic. Always observe poops after introducing a new treat. Ferrets can NOT digest protein or fat from fruits, vegetables or grains . Ferrets do NOT need "fiber". All they get from it is the taste. That's why Ensure (and ALL similar products) is not suitable for sick ferrets, it doesn't have any protein in it. (Soy protein is a vegetable... undigestible protein, wasted space in the stomach you're struggling to get even small amounts of food to.) Ferret anatomy does not have the caecum... the midpoint in the intestines of dogs, cats, & humans where fruits & vegetables are broken down by the "good" bacteria to be metabolized into nutrients. (Which is also why acidophilus & yogurt are useless... no caecum to work in.) Chicken or turkey baby food is a nutritious treat. Applesauce is a treat they love... but it contains no nutrition for ferrets. A ferret that's eating a good quality food is not going to be nutritionally harmed by treats (even if we slip up and allow them to make a meal, every now & then, on a favorite treat.) (I have as yet to ever see a "perfect" ferret owner, self included.) Dangerous treats are a different matter entirely. Chuncks of fresh OR dried vegetables and fruits can cause NOT ONLY BLOCKAGES but RESTRICTIONS. A slow-to-breakdown banana chip that's too large to pass easily can rub an ulcer on the stomach or intestinal lining. Helicobacter is a bacteria present in the digestive tract of all ferrets, young and old. Younger ferrets are not as dangerously affected as older ferrets in this case. But in older ferrets, helicobacter can more easily take advantage of an ulcer to aggravate it into a life threatening case of chronic ulcers... even though no actual blockage ever occurred... just a temporary restriction, a slow moving piece of apple or carrot or banana chip.... even raisins. Any fruit/vegetable chunk larger than 1/8" x 1/8" is a potential danger. When a label says "ferret... " it means the company expects to make money from ferret owners... NOT that the product was specifically designed with full knowledge of ferret nutrition and anatomy in mind. Pay attention to the facts... not the advertising... or what "John Smith on the FML" says is ok. "John Smith" may never have had a ferret allergic to corn gluten meal, a ferret with insulinoma, or a ferret over 5 years old, so what he's treating/feeding HIS ferrets with may be DEADLY to yours. Get the facts. Debi Christy Ferrets First Foster Home http://www.geocities.com/ferretsfirst/ [Posted in FML issue 3602]