Digging in food - Paw Talk

itsinmyhead · #1 06-17-2004, 01:27 PM

Everytime I fill up the bowl with new food, or fill it back up with the food she's dug out, all my ferret does is dive right into the bowl and dig it all out. I read somewhere that someone had mentioned getting a bowl with a lip on it so they can't dig the food out, but I've been to the pet store and they don't have any like that.

Any suggestions?
Thanks!

GloLei · #2 06-18-2004, 02:08 PM

hmmm, well i can tell you that my Jackson loves to dig but it's never been in his food dish. He use to dig in his litter box all the time, so what i did was i grabbed a box and filled the bottom of it with his litter, now when he comes out he has fun diggin in clean litter and he has sinced stop diggin in his actual litter box. I don't know if that will help but i know ferrets love to dig so giving them a dig box is great fun for them.

Cheers

itsinmyhead · #3 06-18-2004, 07:17 PM

I think I figured it out, maybe. I watched her digging at it today and noticed she stops at a certain point and then she'll eat. I'm guessing that she doesn't like having so much food in the bowl, so I'll try not filling it up so much from now on and we'll see how that works.

*fstybrat* · #4 06-18-2004, 07:24 PM

I may have been the one who posted about the "lip" on the food bowel. That is what I have & I found it at Petco if you have those there... Spill-Less Bowl

Thay all seem to do this when they are young... every one of my ferts did it and have since outgrown the habit.

babygirlleelee · #5 07-14-2004, 04:44 PM

Okay, all ferrets first of all love to dig. I put a piece of carpet with the bottom showing in my ferrets cage and he acts like it is a scratching post, it also files down his nails to where they aren't so sharp. When I get the money I am going to get this food bowl: http://www.petguys.com/-045125619200.html for my little guy. It saves them from digging and from dumping it over. You can even get a box of stire foam pellets for your little guy to dig in, that should satisfy the digging process. Hope I have been of some help.

Soccer_37 · #6 07-15-2004, 12:12 PM

I think you found your problem. I have had the same problem with digging out their food. I was like ... hey thats expencive!! EAT IT! Now I only fill the bowl half ful and There is no more digging. Hurray!

gto_cowgirl · #7 07-15-2004, 01:07 PM

I wouldn't advice buying that food bowl that you posted babygirlleelee. I bought that bowl a couple of weeks ago thinking its great to not have to keep filling their food bowl and they never go hungry. But, the fact is if your ferrets dig then they can keep digging because the food will just rush down as they dig and you waste even more food. I still have it but i will probably never use it until they are older or maybe never then. I have the bowl that fstybrat posted about and it is great!

My ferrets were digging in the food constantly until i bought that bowl. Now as long as you don't fill up the bowl just fill it halfway then they have a real hard time getting the food out. If they do get the food out which mine do time to time when i overfill it, then just don't fill the bowl up until they eat the food they dumped out. Mine usually do while i'm at the house and as soon as they do or out of food then i give them more.

*fstybrat* · #8 07-17-2004, 12:32 AM

Ferrets will outgrow the digging process as they age...

As for the styrofoam peanuts... make sure they are not REAL styrofoam, those are actually very dangerous for ferrets. There are however "ferret safe" foam peanuts you can buy although they tend to be a little more spendy. If you care going to do a dig box, which I highly reccommed, I would use either white uncooked rice (not instant rice), carefresh bedding (if you don't use it for litter), or shredded newspaper.