FERRET-SEARCH@LISTSERV.FERRETMAILINGLIST.ORG
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Fri, 2 Apr 1999 02:31:15 -0500 |
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Anon,
In answer to your question, the answer is yes... and no.
First the no:
What you observed is likely not what you think it is. Most animals,
including ferrets, use pseudo-sexual behavior as a dominance ritual. What
you probably saw was one of your friend's ferrets telling the other that
/he/ was the boss, darn it!
If you watch dogs much, you'll see the same sort of thing. In fact, if
you've ever known a dog that seemed amorously attracted to legs, what you
were actually seeing was a dog trying to assert dominance over the human
in question. It's a habit that shouldn't be tolerated... but I digress.
Now the yes:
In the wild, some animals have been observed to exhibit same-gender
pairing... not for sex, but for other life functions, in situations
where the 'norm' is opposite-gender pairing. It happens among canines,
girraffes, and various other animals. I'm sure it happens among ferrets
as well.
Now a question of my own...
Does it matter? Surely our ferrets care little about human prejudices;
they love us without question, without placing conditions on their love.
Can't we be noble enough to love them the same way?
*=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=*
Little things are indeed little, but to be faithful in little things is a
great thing.
--Mother Teresa
*-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-*
Regan S. Pylman [log in to unmask]
http://www.coyotesdaughter.com/~azrael
[Posted in FML issue 2635]
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