Message Number: SG8548 | New FHL Archives Search
From: kestrelinden@yahoo.com
Date: 2004-04-16 18:35:47 UTC
Subject: RE: Feeding finicky ferrets (Was "RE: UTI? Was "Re: Paxie,Sore Mouth?")
To: ferrethealth@smartgroups.com
Message-ID: <8360737.1082140547509.JavaMail.root@thallium.smartgroups.com>

Thanks for your reply Kim. Paxie hasn't ever seemed to paw at her face or g=
rind her teeth, but we will keep an eye out. Any thoughts as to what else t=
o keep an eye for? I will add ulcer to my searchables on the list. =

She's always been a digger ever since we got her. She was neglected for at =
least a week as a 6-8 week old and had it as a habit when we rescued her. A=
ctually, she was mostly a biter, she'd grab the cage with her teeth and paw=
s and shake back and forth. Even when out and playing, after she explores f=
or a while and gets bored she'll go to a door and dig. She taught it to Nik=
ko, but he only does it at doors. She sometimes does it when not yet bored,=
she has two fabric covered soft things for laying on that she'll go over t=
o and just start digging at, she seems to be having a great time and keeps =
her nails really sharp. Doesn't need nearly as much trimming, hurts mom bad=
. As far as I can tell, the digging is just psychological. She does it when=
bored, frustrated, and even when happy and playing and just wants to be de=
structive. She gets this glee when being destructive, ya know? =3D) But, we=
'll certainly keep an eye out. She's had a bit of a stressful life. I wonde=
r if we should just give up on them being friends to remove that stress. Sh=
e's always seemed interested in making friends, she'll follow Bear around, =
plays with him, gets upset when we take him away.

Also, I don't think I clarified in my last post about the syringe feeding. =
I am very aware of the aspiration factor. Her mix is a paste, not near soup=
consistency, and I only squirt the smallest bit, maybe 1/4 a cc onto the t=
ip of her tongue where I can see, never just directed into her mouth withou=
t notice of where it's going. Just wanted to be clear, not always easy for =
me, especially when I call her mix "soup".

Maureen, Paxie, and NikkoBear
=

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