Slight correction to begin with. I wrote BBF several times in my last post. Some people thought it was a typo, and I meant BFF for blackfooted ferret. Actually, it stands for the extremely rare "Black Booted Ferret" which can be distinquished by the stainless steel rings that pierce several parts of it's anatomy, and the slick black leather it wears. Ok, it was just a goof. Actually, I spent most of the day I wrote the post deep in the bowels of a cave, looking at a deep pile of bones that had been found by some idiot cavers. Question were they human or other. So the bone guy (me) was called out for an expert opinion (well, at least I have the opinions...). So I wetsuited up, harnessed up and roped down about 6 miles. Ok, about 100 feet, give or take an inch or so. Good thing I love this type of adventure. Anyway, on top of the pile (natural accumulation) was male and female skunk skulls. Lying side by side. Well, I was so impressed that when I wrote the post, I accidently wrote BBF for "Bob's Bone Fantasy." Ok, ok, it was just a goof. Q: Why do older ferrets teeth look different than younger ferrets teeth? A: This isn't one of those "My fang is bigger than yours" questions, is it? The question isn't really clear, so I will guess. As any animal, including humans, gets older several things happen to the teeth. First, they naturally wear down. I have seen teeth worn to nubs, basically roots capped with a thing layer of dentine, especially in domestic animals and wild ungulates. Second, the gumline recedes, exposing more of the lower tooth and root. You might have heard, "Getting long in the tooth" as an expression for old age; it refers to teeth looking longer as more root is exposed by the receeding gumline. Third, the pulp cavity and roots fill up with dentine, which changes the light transmission through the tooth, making it appear darker or transparent, depending on the exact species and tooth. This is a protection mechanism for the animal, to help in tooth wear, fractures, and decay. (The teeth I've seen that have worn through the enamel into the dentine do not normally have exposed pulp cavities nor root canals. You can see where they were however--they've just filled up with dentine). These are the major and more obvious changes that take place through time. In addition to these natural changes, decay and fracture can make the teeth look different. Many chemicals stain the teeth; mine are stained by tetracycline (I'm allergic to pennicillin). Nutritional problems can cause discoloration, pitting and banding, and even malformation of teeth. Genetic problems can make teeth look weird (I have a coyote skull in which the roots of the teeth are only about 1/4 inch long or shorter. Very strange), as well as disease (I also have several skull of canids that suffered from rubber jaw syndrome). Finally, some teeth are just naturally different than other teeth from the same species. Its called "variation," the genius of evolution. They can be longer, yellower, darker, have thicker enamel, seem more transparent, or even flatter than the same tooth in other individuals. It is natural for there to be some variation in tooth morphology. The only other answer would be in reference to permanent Vs baby teeth. Ferrets have a tooth replacement timetable, just as all other mammals (even those mammals born with permanent teeth go through a baby-tooth phase prior to birth). The canines are lost at about 8 weeks, give or take a week; the others are usually replaced unnoticed. The general scheme for most carnivores is: replace the canines, grow the molars, replace the premolars. The incisors vary in replacement from species to species, and in most carnivores, are of little importance and can be lost without much danger to the animal. Dark teeth usually mean some kind of damage has taken place; it could be a dead root, cavity or abcess. I don't believe in waking sleeping bears; if the tooth is not causing a problem, ignore it. I have several adopties with dark teeth; once a week I inspect the tooth and surrounding tissues for signs of infections/abcesses. I also brush their teeth twice a week; I use a non-fluoride toothpaste with baking soda, mixed with a few drops of ferrettone. I don't use fluoride toothpastes because I haven't figured out a way to get the beasts to spit, and I have no idea of what a toxic dose of fluoride would be to the little guys. Some guys are easier than others, and a couple I can only get the outside of the teeth. I use a baby's Oral B, and its covered with hundreds of tiny bitemarks. And yes, each ferret has its own toothbrush; marked and stored in its own box. Mo' Bob and 18 Mo'monkeys (and Angel Gus) [Posted in FML issue 1714]