Chewing and Eating

Question
I just got a new baby boy who is a little under three months old.  I had originally put old t-shirts down as bedding but he was eating the fabric, so I replaced them with some paper bedding (petco brand).  I gave him some ferret lax and he is still eating and pooping normally and his behaviour seems normal.  He also just chews A LOT of things in general.  I'm wondering if he has some sort of tooth/teeth problem or pain.  Ironically, he isn't very in to chew toys.  I don't really know how to care for his teeth in general.  So overall my questions are 1.) Does his chewing imply some sort of problem? 2.)What sort of tooth care should I be doing on a regular basis?



Thanks so much for your help, my little guy is amazing and I just want to make sure I'm caring for him in the way he deserves!

Answer
  Even if he isn't ingesting fabric, chewing on metal, fabric, or tennis balls is bad news for ferret teeth (the behavior can wear down the teeth).  The behaviors is often the result of a lack of enrichment or mental stimulation.  Being alone and in a cage for long periods of time can cause the behavior.  Initially, you need to remove anything he can chew on so he can't practice this behavior.  You also need to make sure all of his toys are ferret safe and that he has lots of things to do while in his cage.  There is a ton of information on-line if you look for ferret enrichment which should lead you in the right direction.  While some of the behavior may be due to his age (teething), this usually stops or isn't as noticable.  I would focus on making his life more stimulating, ferrets are problem solvers and quite smart so will bore easily.  Ferret teeth should be cleaned weekly with a toothbrush and toothpaste from a vet.  He should also eat a quality food that isn't canned.