Message Number: YG12379 | New FHL Archives Search
From: The Ferret Aid Society
Date: 2002-04-09 15:25:00 UTC
Subject: Help! Chewing ferret!

Ok, I've been a shelter mom for over 6 years now and I've never come across
a ferret like Mandrake. He eats EVERYTHING is sight. Cloth, toys, bedding,
plastic tunnel tubing and so much more.

I originally thought his ears were bothering him and he was chewing to
complement the scratching he was doing so I cleaned his ears and treated him
for mites (which are now gone). Then I thought he wasn't getting enough play
time so he got out for 5 hours a day all week and now he is not only chewing
his bedding, he's chewing everything else. (I keep telling him I don't have
a $1,000 to remove the cloth from his belly in surgery, but it's not helping
lol!)

Nothing I do to deter him from chewing helps. I've created *almost* all of
Bob Church's suggested play games (yes, I am now REAL tired!) and he'll play
for a moment then run off into a corner to chew the carpet or the toy he
stole from on top of a shelf or even my skirt hem! I've tried giving him
Cheweasels and tying them to a string so he has to work for them but he
chews them momentarily then goes off to something better. I've even left
them in his cage and he wants nothing to do with them.

He's a very happy kid and never bites. He's 4 months old. My next step is
another trip to the vets for a full work up. Any advice would be GREATLY and
humbly appreciated!!! Thanks :-)


Randy Melanie Belair
President
The Ferret Aid Society
"For The Love of Our Fuzzy Friends"
http://www.ferretaid.org

Everything is okay in the end. If it's not okay, then it's not the end.