From:
bgbooker@aol.com
Date: 2002-03-28 09:12:00 UTC
Subject: Re: My ferret refuses to eat, HELP!
I am not sure if this will help you. I had a little girl that would
not eat. She also had a bacterium infection in her mouth. But,
when that was healing we noticed she was scared or something about
eating. I talk with the vet and decided each week I was going to do
some changes. The told me that she would eat on her own if I didn't
constantly feed her. So, I decreased hand feedings. This way she
was unsure of when she was going to get hand fed. I put ferretone
in soft food at first. I just took the food she liked back in Oct.
and put it in a jar of hot water and let it soften as though it was
soft can food. She started licking that. She also hjad this thing
about putting her head in any dish. On occassion I would open her
mouth and make her crunch the kibble. Later, I caught her eating
popcorn behind the couch. From there things changed again. You
have to keep trying things and coming up with new ideas.
Persistance. Maybe let the ferretone soak into the kibble. He
has to eat somehow to keep his body going. Miss Furbie didn't like
baby food. But, at one time she was on max calorie and stress cat
food by Euk and SD.
I have a ferret that will not take things that he has never ate
before or he just wouldn't take things by hand. It could be
anything ferretone, treats, lax. I have to scruff him. I make him
taste stuff. I think he likes that treatment though.
What I would probably try first may not be what others agree with.
I would take whatever food you have that he has somewhat liked. I
would put it in a jar of hot water. I would let it soften. I may
or may not put ferretone in it. Put it in a little dish and warm
it. I would take a syringe and administer it. He may not like it.
My vet told me 6 syringe full was adequate for each serving. I
would not let him get weak by waiting around for him to decide.
this may be an agressive approach. But, he would be getting the
nutrients he needs to stay strong. It can be messy. When it comes
to eating I will make sure they get what is required whether we wear
the food or not.
There was another ferret I was rehabing who wouldn't eat in his
cage. I had to hand feed him also. I noticed him coming out and
sniffing the floor for food. But, he wouldn't eat it. So, I
starting putting kibble where he frequented. He started eating it
off the floor before eating it in a bowl in his cage. So, each time
he came out. Food was found in these areas as though they were
stashed kibbles. Then he started eating out his bowl.
But, keep working with it. Hopefully, something will give.
Benita