I have one little story to highlight just how intelligent the little sprung
rats are.
 
Bear, the youngest of my sable speedbumps, loves red licorice (when he can
steal a nip) and LOOOOOVVVVEEESSSSS!!!!  gummi Life Savers (he becomes
positively hostile and, even though he's small guy on the block, will take
on all comers simultaneously, humans included, to get to his treat).  Well,
I keep the licorice and lifesavers on top of the kitchen counter, about 4
feet off the deck and presumably safe from free ranging ferrets.
 
Yup, I came home to discover gummi lifesaver wrappers spread about the
house, licorice stored in a dozen hiddy holes, and a houseful of blissful
speedbumps.  Someone had managed to open 3 of 4 drawers (the bottom two of
which had child proof latches), forming a ladder to the countertop.  Most
people would suspect they'd been burgled, but, well, I own ferrets...
 
A bit of investigation (ie letting the little hairballs watch me put candy
on the counter) revealed Bear as the culprit.  His path was complex.  First
he fiddled with the childproof latch until it popped free, opening the
drawer with it.  Then, he climbed into that drawer, went around to the back
and climbed in the next drawer, pushed open the third drawer and climbed
into it, popped out the now open end of the drawer and opened the top drawer
(which now sat blocking the third drawer), squeezed out the opening and
pulled a mantle move onto the countertope worthy of a world class rock
climber,then snagged the candy and leaped off the counter to disappear to
parts unknown, hissing at any ferret in his way.
 
-He invented this very complex set of actions in less than 9 hours.
-He did all this in an effort to reach an unseen (but presumably smelled)
 goal.
-He bypassed other ferret delights stored in the drawers like my
 (toothworn) neoprene kayak gloves, instead focusing on the end goal.
-The moves were, once worked out, performed by rote (sp.), identically
 repeated each time he was allowed to do this (even though more economical
 moves certainly existed, like going back in and pushing the top drawer
 fully open).
-The other ferrets figured out how to open childproof latches by watching
 Bear (Oy, Vey!!!)
 
The implications are: Excellent long term memory.  The ability to remember
items no longer present.  The ability to chain behaviors in a very short
learning period.  Strong operational fixation (repeatedly performing the
moves identically) and by extension, a lack of, maybe, intuition?
Understanding that the latch had to be defeated to reach his goal (now THAT
has terrifying implications).  The ability to learn by watching others.  And
a passion for junk food.  I now have all 4 drawers wired together via
eyelets screwed into each drawer and a dowel running though the eyelets.
The only way they can open them now is by springing two childproof latches
at the same time, which would require a team effort.
 
>>Bear sez "It's just a matter of time!!!"
 
P.S.  I have a problem with disappearing carrots in my house.  Hmmmm.
Ciao, David (RockTurtle) Minette
[Posted in FML issue 1531]