Sandi writes
>I admit it....I'm so hooked on watching the ferret family.  Just a
>few minutes ago, I was lucky enough to catch the babies wrestling and
>annoying the heck out of Bird (mom).  <snip>
> ... shouldn't they be learning how to play hunt?
>
>It doesn't seem as though mom is able to leave the tiny space.  There is
>a bowl of food on the floor.  I wonder how they are going to introduce
>these little ones to the wild from such a confined beginning?  ...
>
> http://nationalzoo.si.edu/Animals/SmallMammals/default.cfm?cam=SM2
 
I've been "Bird"-watching since April and also watched other Bff and
kits moms last summer! :-)
 
There is another section to their enclosure that exits out the top of our
view.  I believe there is food and water out there, but don't know how
large the area is.  The babies are just starting to explore through the
hole!
 
From what I've read, if the kits are going to be released, they are put
in an outdoor acclimation pen to learn how to hunt prairie dogs.  I
don't know if they have any of these pens at the site in Virginia, or if
the kits might be shipped out west in the next couple weeks, or if these
guys are destined to be breeders.
 
I'm excited about learning more about the BFFs at the 2005 International
Ferret Congress in St Louis next spring, with a presentation by Travis
Livieri of Prairie Wildlife Research
http://www.prairiewildlife.org/
 
See our web site for details.  Hope to see you there!
 
Linda Iroff
International Ferret Congress
http://www.ferretcongress.org
[Posted in FML issue 4576]