Ferrets do experience a full range of emotions. Ferrets are sentient
beings. This has been a topic from time to time on the FML. In recent
years there have been scientific studies that determined animals do
experience emotions.

The problem is that some people don't notice the emotional response.

Ferrets do grieve at the loss of a home, companion and human family.
Ferrets, like people, will respond in their own individual way. Ferrets
that have been passed around may seem aloof, when in fact they are
afraid to love and be loved because each time they had in the past,
they lost. Sometimes it isn't better to have loved and lost.

Typically ferrets are happy playful fearless little beings, that is
their true nature. It is the circumstances in their life that changes
them. Watch a kit and see how happy they are - that is unless they've
been abused, neglected, or put in a bad situation (such as one
particular breeding facitlity that I know of).

I've been working very closely with ferrets for 20+ years. By closely
I mean we live together free roam in our home. I see the despair, the
pain, the fear, the joy, the love, the happiness, the devotion, the
caring, that others may not take the time to see. I see the daily
interactions and struggles within the group.

Let's look at one incident in particular. Dippy is a very happy ferret.
When someone is fussing he bounces around as if to say "do me next!".
O.k. so maybe he's a little short in the reasoning dept but you get the
drift. We had visitors and Dippy didn't know. Dippy also hadn't been up
when we'd had previous visitors so to Dippy I was the only human in his
safe little world. When Dippy walked into the room I scooped him up,
cuddled him looking into his eyes then swiftly handed him to Autumn.
The shock was immediately noticeable. Dippy, a normally relaxed posture
ferret, froze stiff as a board, his eyes got as big as saucers and he
stared at Autumn. Autumn has a very gentle way with ferrets. As she
gently held Dippy in her arms, every hair on his body stood on end.
Dippy was clearly showing emotions. He wasn't reacting to a negative
situation as the situation was positive in a very gentle way.

And another - Two of the ferrets were fussing. Clyde came into the
room, stopped, watched and listened, walked over to the two, then after
a few seconds chased the bully off, comforted the victim then went on
his way.

And another - One of our older ferrets was nearing his end. Ferris who
was typically a loner, cuddled up to the oldster and stayed to comfort
him till his passing. These two did not previously have a special bond.

And another - When Ferry died I placed her on a pillow before getting
her ready for burial. Clyde came in and sniffed the air, located her
and gently tugged on the blanket to pull her down to the floor (I put
her down for him). Then he sniffed her, stood solemnly for a few
seconds, then slowly walked to the back of the house. A few seconds
later another ferret came, paid their respects and went back down the
hall, then another ferret, and another, one by one till all had paid
their respects. For two days after Ferry passed the ferrets were very
inactive. An amazing event to witness. Clyde must have told the others.
Why one by one? Ferry was very shy and had typically chosen to cuddle
with one ferret at a time. Did the ferrets understand that and that is
why they paid their respects as they did?

When I come home from work several will come to greet me, lay at my
feet till each one has been cuddled and kissed, then as I put each
one down they go on their way.

And each evening Dante will run to the cage and nose it till I let
Sully and Leo out, then he goes to Bandits cage and does the same.

I can recount hundreds of times the ferrets have shown true emotions
and reasoning.

Am I putting my emotions onto the little ones? No. Typically I'm less
emotional than the ferrets in most situations.

When I'm frustrated or angry, the ferrets pick up on that emotion and
certain ones will pick on others. When I'm in a hurry to get things
done, the ferrets are hyper and constantly underfoot. When I'm calm
and relaxed, the ferrets are too.

If ferrets didn't experience emotions, my emotions wouldn't affect
them.

Just because ferrets can't speak in human language doesn't mean they
aren't trying to tell us things in their own way. Sometimes we need
to watch more closely to see what they are trying to tell us.

I've posted before on this topic and provided links to the studies that
determined animals do experience a full range of emotions.  If you do a
search in the archives I'm sure you will find them.

hugs. tle
www.ferretfamilyservices.org

[Posted in FML 5508]