Hello All
 
Our wonder lady, Lynn, writes me that I did not make myself clear in
writing about deaf ferrets.  I was writing, as I wished I had read, of
some potential problems with deaf ferrets that I personally have had.
There are other problems I did not mention that were discussed by others
today.  Bravo.
 
Newbies should be aware of possible complications.  Or just aware that a
ferret can be deaf.  I had never thought about that as a possibility.  I
did not even know for over a year one of the ones I took in was deaf about
6 years ago.  He imitated all the others beautifully: sat, rolled over,
begged.  I could not figure out why I could not litter box train him.
 
I would hold him up six inches from me and sternly say: bad boy.  Bad boy.
Then I put him in the sick cage for a little while.  Instead of litter
box training him--he learned to move his lips as soon as I held him up as
though he was talking to me.  He was imitating me!!!
 
It personally upsets me that breeders like MF are knowingly breeding and
selling deaf ferrets.  It was good to read that people are concerned about
this.  As I thought I clearly wrote-I see these ferrets often grown up and
being returned to pet stores.
 
This is a society where animals are easily discarded by many people.  The
chances for this happening to a deaf ferret, or a life in a cage until
death, are greatly increased.  The risk of accident to these little ones
is greatly increased.
 
In the throw away pet mentality that clearly exists-ask any shelter...
I cannot imagine the lives of many of these deaf little ones.  Or their
deaths.
 
If my thoughts concerning deaf ferrets and my worries for them were not
crystal clear to anyone out there besides our dear Lynn-as it is in my
heart: then I hope this follow up is.
 
Lisette
[Posted in FML issue 3113]