A basset hound is known for their ability to detect the very most minor
parts of an odor or scent and be able to track down the source.
 
I believe ferrets, at least Pete, is every bit as good at it.
 
Pete loves cheerios.  I will find him asleep in his cage, zonked out cold
in a dead sleep.  I will open a door so very carefully so as to not make
any noise or vibration and plant several toasty 'o's several inches from
him.  Invariably he will come awake and immediately track directly to the
stache.
 
Have done the same with him on different levels in the cage, he will
detect a whiff of them and raise up with nose twitching as he tests the
air frantically in many directions until he determines the stache to be
on a different level, and he goes to that level always, not the one below
or above but that exact one.
 
If they were more trainable they could be used to track down people or
other things, like undiscovered no lead gas pockets or maybe even winning
lotto numbers!
 
Aarrow Ranch Aviation
Rev. J Gordon Bengtson
7302 Hunterbrook Drive, Suite 100
Mechanicsville, Va. 23111
USA
[Posted in FML issue 5209]