Message Number: SG3735 | New FHL Archives Search
From: Teresa Knezek
Date: 2003-03-23 04:11:35 UTC
Subject: Re: A new ferret or two and some questions
To: ferrethealth@smartgroups.com
Message-id: <a05111b07baa2e1ebc2f8@[24.237.138.107]>

On or thereabout 3/23/03, makmek2000a@aol.com spoke thusly:
>I have heard the younger ferret make almost clucking sounds now that
>she is here, very odd to me, I don't understand what that is.

This is the little one getting excited and 'chuckling'... it's
perfectly normal for them to make this noise when they're playing and
having fun. Some make more noise than others. My Blitzie is a little
chatterbox, and Ziya chuckles when she gets really worked up, but Zoe
is almost perfectly quiet no matter what.

>Second was that now with this crap cat food I am going to need to
>ween them to something else, how does that work?

I'd try putting a bowl of each food out for them at first... they
might just naturally prefer your food, and quit the 'crap' food cold
turkey. Otherwise you could mix the two foods 1/2 and 1/2, and reduce
the amount of the cat food each time, until there's none left in the
mix.

> Third is how big is too big? I am afraid that fatty is overweight
>or possibly diseased and overweight from that.

Male ferrets get up to the 3+ pound range and still be perfectly
healthy. Watch his behavior and feces... if he's acting normal for a
ferret (frisky and curious), has normal poops, and is fed a good
diet, his weight should take care of itself.

>I just want to make sure they aren't hurting eachother, how do I
>distinguish this?

If they draw blood, or one of the ferrets gets frightened enough to
poop or pee while they're wrestling, then intervention is
important... otherwise, it's amazing how violent they can act when
they're playing and sorting out their dominance. My Blitzie gets
dragged around by her head sometimes, and when I make the other girl
let her go, Blitzie gets up and jumps on her "attacker" and starts
the whole awful looking game all over again... so much for me trying
to rescue her!
--
:: Teresa ::
http://www.mivox.com/

"A moment's insight is sometimes worth a lifetime's experience."
-- Oliver Wendell Holmes