> From:  [log in to unmask] (Tyler Greenberg)
> Subject: Re: Ferret Psychoanalysis
>
> To the ferret think tank:
 
This made me laugh out loud -- thanks for the chuckles!
 
>   I wish to pose a question from the nature vs. nuture category.  What
> causes such vast differences in ferret personalities?  I currently have two
> ferrets (Ayla and Gooby, ...Pebbles past away recently).  Their personalities
> are so different, it is amazing.  I can't figure out why Ayla has always been
 
While I think *how* a ferret is raised affects its behavior, I think
ferret personalities vary just as widely as those of people.  We have five
(!), and their personalities are all quite different.  It's a mistake to
assume one ferret will act like another, as I'm sure other multi-ferret
families will attest (as well as those who've had more than one ferret,
just at different times).
 
> [deletions] Does it have to do
> with the fact that Ayla was raised for her 1st 3 months at a fur farm in
> upstate New York where, in contrast, I raised Gooby from a kit after I
 purchased
> him from a reputable breeder?
 
I think this is probably part of the explanation, but not all of it.
 
> [deletions] At least we both feel good knowing
> that we saved her from certain death and horrid living conditions)
 
I'll agree with you here!  I had no idea anyone was raising ferrets for
fur in the U.S. -- research subjects, maybe, but not fur!!
 
> Back to the subject, I wonder if there is anything I could do to make
> Ayla more
> affectionate or dometic?  She is a tense ferret who is always on the
> defensive.
 
It's hard to say, Tyler.  How long have you had her?  Does she respond
well to positive reinforcement, i.e. treats for good behavior? (i.e.
Linatone, Nutrical, raisins, peanuts, crackers, popcorn)  I don't think
you can force a ferret's affections -- our Molly is just *never* going to
be a cuddler; on the other hand, when she reacted adversely to a shot at
the vet's, she ran into my arms for comforting (which is how I knew
something was wrong), so obviously there *is* a bond.  However, I do
believe that patience and training will improve a ferret's behavior, which
is what I think you mean when you ask if you can make Ayla more
"domestic."  Good luck!
 
Meanwhile, on other fronts... <g>
Before this thing about Fara gets too far -- I don't think anyone can
accuse Chris of playing politics in the ferret world, and who the heck
is vowing to "hate each other for eternity" anyway?
 
Brad, there are other things you can give Mako as treats besides
Linatone/Ferretone if he doesn't like it -- like raisins, grapes, peanuts,
popcorn, crackers, etc.  What's one ferret's treat, another won't even
touch.  Try something else!
 
>Katie, Thanks.  No, we don't know Ann Jeglum, but we know OF her; she is
>FAMOUS (CAPITAL F, CAPITAL A ...) throughout veterinarianaria as very
>likely the world's best veterinary lympho specialist, and she IS called
>Dr. Lympho by her compatriots.  Glad Molly worked out.  Bandit is such a
>scamp!  How long has it been now since his cancer began?  Seems like ages.
>5?  You are as foolhardy as we!
 
Suki, I misunderstood your message -- I assumed from the "Dr. Lympho"
endearment that you had taken Hjalmar to her.  I did not know she was so
renowned, though her office is ALWAYS crowded on Saturday, and Jeff says
he's seen people coming from Virginia and Maryland to see her.  It's nice
to know Bandit has gotten such stellar treatment -- first at the Animal
Medical Center, and then from Dr. Jeglum!
 
Yes, we're glad Molly's OK, too.  She's always been fit as a fiddle, so we
were very surprised that she had a reaction.  Have you heard of anything
like that in other ferrets?
 
Come March 26, it will be a year since Bandit started chemo.  It's been
just about a year since he was initially diagnosed with lymphosarcoma.
The good news is that after he completes his current chemo cycle, Dr.
Jeglum wants him to have an ultrasound, and if it's clear, she will stop
the chemo and begin weaning him from Prednisone.  So cross your fingers!
 
Bandit IS a scamp!  After he had his shot Saturday, we took him with us to
Lancaster to see my brother opening as Mercutio in the Lancaster Opera
Company's production of Romeo and Juliet.  He had a blast at my brother's
house -- leaping and hopping like a mad thing, bumping and running with
the furniture, subduing a Koosh (no, we didn't let him have it long enough
to chew on it), and just generally behaving like an ecstatically happy
ferret.
 
Yes, we feel foolish about having five ferrets sometimes, but they are so
lovable, loving and entertaining... We actually have had two more offered
us (!) but are attempting to find another home for these.  Seven would be
insanity!
 
To Amy Lotto and Cleo:
 
Wow!  A lot of questions!  I'll try to take them in order.
 
>I come home to find the place a disaster area and she will not use the
>litter box I give her... she also does not seem to 'go' in any one
>particular place.  Is there any way I help her along to using the litter
>box?  I feel terrible cooping her up in her cage because she is so
>intelligent, I want her to have free run of the house.
 
You're going to have to restrict her space to teach her better bathroom
habits.  Gradually, as she improves, you can give her more area to roam
in.  Ferrets usually "go" soon after they wake up, so put her in the
litterbox when she awakens and keep her in it till she goes.  Praise her
and reward her for using the box; she'll respond better to that than
punishment.  If you catch her starting to use a taboo corner, yell at her
and put her in the litterbox immediately.  It will take some patience, and
she may not ever be perfect, but she should improve.  If she has a large
roaming area, she's going to need more than one pan, though.
 
Don't worry about the time Cleo spends in the cage -- most of the
time she's sleeping anyway; ferrets sleep A LOT, like 18 hours a day or
so.  It will also help in her litter training.  Besides, if there are so
many unsafe areas in the house, it will be for her own good!  Yes, some
people give their ferrets the run of the house, but it's not a good idea
if you haven't, or can't, ferret-proof the place thoroughly.
 
> Another thing, Cleo eats quite a bit but she is remaining small, she
> really has not grown too much since I got her and she was pretty small
> then.  I recently went to a pet store and saw a ferret that must have
> been almost two feet long from nose to tail.  I give her vitamin
> supplements in her water, feed her ferret chow and on occasion canned
> cat food.  Is there something wrong or is this normal for some ferrets
> to remain small?
 
Female ferrets usually are small, a pound to a pound and a half
frequently.  We have four males and a female, and the males are quite a
bit bigger than Molly.  You may well have seen an unfixed male, and he
would dwarf most little ferret girls.  If she's bright-eyed, has a healthy
coat, eats and drinks well, and is active, then I wouldn't worry about it.
 
[Right.  Males are usually double the size of females.  Our females
were 1.25-1.5 pounds, the male 3.5, and I've heard of males > 5 pounds.]
 
> I have also had trouble finding vets that seem competent in dealing with
> ferrets.
 
This is a universal problem for ferret owners.  If you tell us where you
live, someone on the FML may be able to point you to an experienced ferret
vet.
 
> because ferrets are not cats and they are not dogs and everywhere I go,
> "Oh, ferrets, yeah feed em cat food, give em cat treats".  I wanted to
> check what kind *exactly* of shots a ferret needs before I go someplace
> where they *say* they know what they are doing. Could anyone possibly
> supply me with this info?
 
Cleo only needs two shots -- rabies and canine distemper.  The only
approved rabies vaccine for ferrets is IMRAB, and the recommended
distemper vaccine for ferrets is either Fervac-D or Fromm-D.  She will
need annual boosters of both.  Otherwise, *generally* what is safe for
cats is safe for ferrets -- more in terms of similar body weight than
anything.
 
>And lastly.. when I get home in the afternoon and let Cleo out she runs
>spastically around the room rolling over and crashing into things and
>hopping around.  Will she injure herself doing this?  She is always
>falling off chairs and things and I don't want to see her with any broken
>bones.  She also tends to walk with her back very arched, is this normal?
 
Amy, this, too, is normal ferret behavior -- both the spastic jumping and
rolling, falling off the furniture AND walking with an arched back.  The
jumping-hopping-rolling is known as the ferret "dance of joy," and though
it looks weird and a little scary, it means she is happy!  She's probably
excited to see you!  Falling off furniture also is common, and I wouldn't
worry about it unless she has a tendency to climb high up.  Off the fronts
of chairs and couches are not much of a problem.  Still, this is another
reason to confine her to a cage when you are not around to watch her --
she could injure her spine if she falls from *too* high a height.
 
>Its really great to have found the FML.
 
Amy, I agree with you 100 percent!  I've subscribed for just about a year,
and don't know what I would do without it!  Chris does us a great service
by providing it!  (Gratuitous plug for you, Chris!  MWAH!)  Anyway, glad
to have you with us!  Any more questions, just fire away!
 
[Always glad to have gratuitous plugs ;-)]
 
One last question for me (on Charlie's behalf): can anyone give me more
information about cataracts in ferrets?
 
Katie, Jeff, Bandit, Molly, Charlie, Pogo & Sigmund
 
Katie Fritz
Small Mammals Section Leader/CompuServe Pets Forum
Internet: [log in to unmask]  CIS: 71257,3153
 
[Posted in FML issue 0426]