Very timely Sukie. Here is a tip that I had not really considered until just yesterday. I recently took in a California rescue, and he came with a food I don't include in my kibble mix. I opened a new bag of a kibble I normally use and proceeded to mix a little in to his food so he would get used to a different smell/taste. When I put the new food in the dish, I noticed something black. It is a piece of plastic with sharp edges, probably a broken piece of machinery used in processing. Just the right size for any ferret to swallow, and not pass through. I always do a sniff test on any new bag of food, and a somewhat visual test. From now on I will look much more closely at any food that is put in the bowl, actually stirring through small amounts looking for anything that shouldn't be there. I'm not mentioning the brand of kibble, as I hope we will all look at any and all foods we feed. It is a highly respected, quality ferret food, and I will contact the manufacturer with the batch lot number, as I know they would want to know. This is something that can happen, even in the best quality control situation. So, from now on, please *ferret proof* your fuzz butts food. I post this in memory of my sweet Buddy. He ate a piece of plastic. Due to age, a heart condition and other serious health problems, my vet and I decided to help him pass on. I have been on a guilt trip since that day, as I could not identify the plastic or think of where he found it. Now I wonder, did I feed it to him....... Ardith [Posted in FML 5523]