Q: "You mentioned several times that ferrets were more curious than
polecats.  [An owner of a polecat and hybrids] has observed that both
[a polecat and hybrid] are far more curious than are the ferrets."
 
A: And so opens the psychological can-o-worms.  Let's go fishin'....
 
Curiosity is fairly easy to define as being an inquisitive exploration
in which a ferret (or polecat or hybrid) makes a CHOICE to initiate an
exploration of something within the surrounding environment.  This is
not the same thing as responding to a stimulus, such as when a loud noise
startles an animal and they spin around to face the direction of the
sound, and may even rush forward to confront the stimulus (often called a
startle response or reflexive exploration).  The basic difference between
the two is essentially intent.
 
Curiosity might be better defined as SELF-INITIATED non-reflexive
exploratory behavior.  Self-initiation is the key; personal choice is
what defines the difference between "startle responses" and "curiosity."
You can use the eye's blink reflex as a simile.  You can blink your eye
anytime you want, but your eye will blink reflexively to any stimuli
endangering it.  Both eye movements are blinks, and from a purely
mechanical point of view nearly indistinguishable from each other if the
motivating factor is unknown.  Nonetheless, blinking from choice and
blinking from reflex are different things, done for different reasons.
In a similar fashion, a novel object in a familiar environment will
stimulate exploratory behaviors in both ferrets and polecats; some will
investigate the object because of inquisitive exploration and others
because of reflexive exploration.  The problem is, how can one type be
distinguished from the other?  Aye, that be the rub.
 
It is difficult to say that one intelligent, playful, explorative group
of animals is more curious than another group of closely related animals
without first limiting the definition of curiosity to only those
behaviors that are self initiated and not reflexive.  For example,
toss an object into a polecat cage and the reaction may be immediate
exploration, but such a behavior is probably reflexive and not
self-initiated.  Ferrets will do the same thing; just toss an empty box
in the room, and watch them swarm (actually, depending on individual
startle reflexes, some will hide, some will rush forward, and some will
yawn and go back to sleep).  Because a novel object is being introduced
into a FAMILIAR environment, it will be very difficult to determine if
the reaction is reflexive or simple curiosity.  Like eye blinks, both
types of investigative behaviors look similar, and since you can't read
the mind of a ferret or polecat, you don't know WHY they investigated the
object.
 
If the subject can't tell you why they investigated something, and if
you can't read their minds, then how can you tell if exploratory behavior
is reflexive or simple curiosity?  One way is to remove the animal from
a familiar, secure environment, and gage their overall reactions in an
unfamiliar setting.  In unfamiliar settings, polecats tend to slink
across open areas, try to remain under cover or stay along walls, and
will show hesitation while exploring novel objects.  In contrast,
ferrets tend to openly walk across open areas, show no (or very little)
hesitation in exploring objects or strange animals, and will seemingly
obsess about investigating openings (holes, small cracks, etc.).  There
are many well-done studies of the differences between polecats and
ferrets (many done about 30 years ago, but some recent ones as well), and
they are generally in agreement that domesticated ferrets display MORE
self-initiated non-reflexive exploratory behaviors than polecats, show
them faster, and without as many cautionary retreats.  However, polecats
show stronger and more frequent startle responses and reflexive
explorations than ferrets, often rushing forward at the introduction of a
new object, making them appear more "curious" to the casual observer.
 
Bob C
[Posted in FML issue 4306]