>I would like to hear from different people what tricks their ferret does,
>and what steps were required to achieve them!
 
     There is, of course, the easy trick that almost all ferrets will do,
and that is teaching them to sit up (on their hind legs) for treats.  I
started mine with a Linatone bottle, gradually raising it until they *had*
to stand up to reach it.  Now all I have to do is say "sit up" with my hand
over them and unless they are real tired or full, they will sit up
automatically.  Fang sits up for no reason at all other then he seems to
know it's cute and he'll probably get something for it.
     My friend Heather taught Tanuki to play dead, by holding a piece of
watermelon over him and pulling it over his head and to the side.  Of
course, he's so eager to make sure the watermelon doesn't get out of sight
that his whole body goes with it and he'll fall over on his side in his
eagerness to keep an eye on it.  Now he does it on command (lots of positive
reinforcment).  My  friend Edith has a ferret named Nick who does a similar
trick except he rolls right over.  He's just a baby and she taught him that
in only a couple of sessions.
        It's also pretty easy to train them to come to a specific sound,
like a whistle or a squeaky toy, by calling them and making the noise over
and over again.  Give them a treat when they come to you, and after a while
only give them the treat sometimes (because then they'll never know when the
treat is coming and don't get bored of the trick).  Of course, the best
thing to rememeber is that repetition works best, some ferrets (lots of
ferrets) forget what they know without refresher courses.
                        Good Luck!!
 
Nancy and Bob: (re: pet stores)
>When I left I wondered ... will there come a time when I walk into that
>store and will be asked to leave (i.e., can they do that?)  Or could I get
>into trouble because they think I'm "soliciting"?
 
        They *can* ask you to leave, but that would be pretty cheezy of
them.  We've talked to a couple of the more conscientious pet stores in town
who no longer *sell* ferrets but suggest to people, when they come in
inquiring about ferrets, that they contact our shelter instead.  It's been a
great leap forward for our organization, because in the majority of the pet
stores here, the staff have no idea how to handle ferrets.
     Other pet stores, who still carry ferrets, have consented to giving
out our name because we also bill ourselves as a "ferret information
service" and they tell customers that if they want ferret advice, they
should call us.  That's where we nab them when they're looking for a second
or third ferret addition.  (*evil, sneaky grin*) The ferrets in pet stores
here are typically $199.99.  We adopt out our rescues, shots and fixed, for
usually around $75.00 and a donation of kitten food.  We are getting more
successful all the time :)
 
>With all of the questions about hair loss, should a section be added to the
>ferret faq that addresses this issue directly?
 
        That's funny I thought there *was* a hair loss section....
 
>Here is a thought for a ferret toy:  Tie a sock to the end of a string or
>thin rope (I use a durable nylon string/rope) and let your ferret at it.
 
        I have a squeaky furry mouse on the end of mine (the kind that
squeaks when you jiggle it, not squeeze it).  They go crazy for it!
        Whenever I go into a pet supply store, BooBoo snatches one of those
fur covered mouse cat toys out of the display box and goes on his merry way.
I must own about 30 of them by now....
---------
Joop *eating and getting fatter by the minute*
BooBoo *search and destroy mission on that furry mouse*
the ancient Fang *trying to get into the drawer of the stove*
Ashley *trying to get Fang's attention*
Chloe and Shadow (in the halfway house) *begging for a home!!*
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[Posted in FML issue 1267]