FERRET-SEARCH@LISTSERV.FERRETMAILINGLIST.ORG
|
|
Subject: | |
From: | |
Date: | Fri, 15 Nov 1996 10:55:02 +0000 |
Content-Type: | text/plain |
Parts/Attachments: |
|
|
Quoth Kelly White...
>Also. I think my roommate's ferret, Cosette, is deaf. How can you tell
>for sure? Has anyone shoulder trained a deaf ferret? If they can't hear
>the newspapers rustle, what's an alternative method for this? (she isn't
>afraid of falling)
Welcome to the whacky world of deaf ferrets! How do you find out for sure
if they're deaf? Easy: Wait until Cosette is looking away, and then drop a
pan on the floor, and watch for lack of reaction. I first suspected it in
Sidney when I noticed that I had startled him when I reached to pick him up,
even though I had been in the room talking to him for several seconds prior.
Though I would never purposely seek out this trait, a deaf ferret makes for
a fascinating study in adaptation and intelligence: Sidney is *far* more
visually alert than either Daisy or Zeke; and I swear that I've seen Zeke
poke Sid with his nose to wake him up, seeming to know that the noise in the
room wasn't going to do it.
Though I haven't done a lot in this area, I've read that several people have
taught their deaf ferrets some basic hand signals. And Sid seemed to
perfectly understand the meaning of being scruffed after a bite or nip; he
doesn't bite at all now, and has even become a good "kisser."
It also seems to be true that deaf ferrets are generally more vocal than
hearing ones: Sid squeaks and grunts more than either of the other two.
Otherwise, they're just the same as any other ferret--goofy, dorky, fun, and
loveable.
Paul Sadek
[log in to unmask]
Visit The Sadek Pet Gallery at http://ww2.sd.cybernex.net/~psadek/pets.html
[Posted in FML issue 1755]
|
|
|