Many visually handicapped ferrets like to play on bubblewrap. Just
do it with supervision and make sure that they don't chew it. Chasing
a safely scented toy mousie on a string over bubblewrap is a sensory
thrill!
We always let scents dry before the ferrets are allowed to use items,
of course.
Some of the scents we use from Well-sweep herb farm are violet (but
not for the ferrets since it messes with sense of smell), rose, peach,
lemon, orange, grapefruit, lime, and a range of aromatic scents of
culinary herbs or spices. The peppermint and citrus ones also are
objectionable to many insects so placing those on window frames with a
cotton swab when the mold beetles in new mulch are young (because the
young adults fit through window screen holes) keeps them out. Remember
that despite the unfortunate inclination of some people to assume that
natural means safe, that actually many plants are poisonous, so learn
about what you use before using it.
We have been doing this for a great many years.
One thing we have noticed while doing this is that most ferrets find
mints highly objectional, but the gray ones with what I personally
consider the "real" mitts and bibs (not the neural crest variant
individuals who have partial, or non-bilateral, or unevenly margined
mitts or bibbs) tend to be attracted to peppermint and will even try
to lick or eat such candies. It *might* be an unusual genetic
variation. Black or gray ferrets who had the entire socks and the
entire bibbs in white instead of black, with both sides matching, and
nice clean margins were readily seen in the market before the neural
crest variants began becoming so common maybe 15 or so years ago.
They appear to have an entirely different genetic cause for their
markings than neural crest genetic variant ferrets. Whereas neural
crest genetic variations (markings are extraneous body splotching or
spotting, panda heads, blaze head stripe) have a large tendency toward
medical problems, the ones who instead have the complete bibb and mitt
replacement with white do not appear to have any noticeable genetic
vulnerability.
Those who want to learn more about this topic:
http://ferrethealth.org/archive/browse.php?msg=YG3069
(from an actual genetics professor and a very good and accessible read)
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Ferret-Genetics/
(search engine is easily used but you do have to advance to further
pages when you finish with one so look for that button to click)
and the archives of the FML (addy in every digest's header) and FHL
(addy in my signature).
BTW, the tendency toward cataracts can also be genetic, especially
when the ferret is young.
-- Sukie (not a vet, and not speaking for any of the below in my
private posts)
Recommended health resources to help ferrets and the people who love
them:
Ferret Health List
http://www.smartgroups.com/groups/ferrethealth
FHL Archives
http://ferrethealth.org/archive/
AFIP Ferret Pathology
http://www.afip.org/ferrets/index.html
Miamiferrets
http://www.miamiferret.org/fhc/
International Ferret Congress Critical References
http://www.ferretcongress.org
[Posted in FML issue 5256]
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