Q: Is it ok for ferrets to eat or play with crickets? A: It might be ok to play with them, but it's the wrong time of the season to consume cricket players; you cannot harvest cricket players in months ending with an "R". Ferrets can eat any insect they decide it is ok to eat. Some might taste bad, others might sting, squirt something nasty or hot, or bite, but that is how ferrets learn on their own. If the bug is nasty or poisonous, they will spit it out quicker than you could ever remove it. Even if they did the stupid human trick of swallowing it, they would probably gack it up faster than you can say, Where's the porcelain altar? I have to toss a technicolor cat... Besides, there is strong evidence that avoiding bright, contrasting colors is somewhat instinctive, so they will probably not bother many of those. Seriously, I would keep them away from scorpions, dangerous spiders, centipedes, and brightly colored or hairy insects or caterpillars. If you use pesticides in or around your residence, it is possible insect visitors could be contaminated, so I wouldn't let ferrets eat insects from those areas. But, other than that, I would worry more about mosquitoes, ticks, and fleas biting my ferret than my ferret chomping on a grasshopper. Clean, pesticide free insects, pupae, and larvae can be purchased at pet stores or online, and they make excellent, extremely nutritious snacks if your ferrets like them. If you give them to ferrets when they are young, they will love them the rest of their lives. Insects are full of protein and fat; they are MUCH better for ferrets than a raisin. Popeye periodically shows up with lumps on his face; they are from being stung from bees because he likes to stalk them in the backyard flowers. I just scruff him and remove the stinger if it is still present. Tui used to love eating stink beetles; he would gag and spit, but he insisted on eating them. Moose would eat carpenter ants. Well, a few of them anyway, then off he would run to drink some water and then back to ant eating. Once I thought I saw a booger on his nose, but it was the head of a carpenter ant, mandibles sunk deep into the side of his nose. I guess you have to nose around to get a head in life. Bob C [log in to unmask] [Posted in FML issue 4647]