Hello My very own little ferret Leah has two of the strangest quirks I
have ever seen through out the several years of running a ferret rescue.
 
Leah came to our home over a year ago.  She was only about six weeks old
and came from a local pet store I saw a little head sleeping upside down
in a wooden box.  The store employee said that the three ferrets came
from Path Valley and that two were deaf.  She also said they both had a
biting issue .I offered to work with them for a short time I visited the
store every Wednesday for thee weeks.  You see we go the vets every
Wednesday for shots and physicals for the new incoming or ill ferrets.
Since our vet is over a half hour away we leave the ferrets there in case
of a reaction.  So of course we go visit the local pet store.  This pet
store is one that I drop off our educational materials and help the new
employees understand ferret care.
 
After the third week the littlest one would almost bite through my thumb
nail.  I tested them for deafness.  Yes Leah was deaf and the employee
agreed with me that she would be purchased and returned like some of the
others that had severe biting issues.  So yes I took her home.
 
Working with a deaf ferret that bites can be very challenging.  Since
I have worked with many since we opened the rescue I knew she needed
special training and lots of love.  I named her Leah.  She was one of the
smartest deaf ferrets I have worked with.  It took over six weeks to get
her to trust me.  She very quickly learned no bite.  She was very quick
to learn her sign language signals.  Her first quirk was when she wanted
my attention she would put her feet up on my shin and hiss.  When she
wanted up she just gently repeats the feet up on leg then hisses.  Not a
normal hiss, but one that sounds like a gently pick me up.  Kind of like
PPPPPPPPPiiiiiiiiissssssssuuuuupppppppp.
 
Her second quirk showed up when she decided it was time to trust me and
she would let me pick her up.  She would twist her head and turn her body
until she was upside down in my hands.  She loves to look at the world
upside down.  If I walk around the room with her that way she will
investigate everything she can.  We went to a Petco at Halloween and I
entered her into the costume contest.  The only way she would keep her
costume on is if she was upside down.  The humans and dogs were confused
as she just layed in my arms belly up with her head hanging off my hands.
 
Her newest is she will slide off my hands and lock her hind legs on my
fingers and swirl her head like a snake.  With her head hanging down her
nose is going a mile a minuet, while crossing her paws over her chest.
Just hanging there with the most contented look on her face.
 
For the humans that would like to learn more about teaching a deaf ferret
a way to communicate with hand signals come join us at the St. Louis
Symposium.  Will be at one of the topic tables.  Please stop by and say
hello.
 
Donna
[Posted in FML issue 4860]