I believe that it is how the ferrets are raised.  If a deaf ferret is
raised with love, care, and gentleness that ferret will be like other
ferrets.  But if a deaf ferret is raised by someone who is short-tempered
or doesn't realize the ferret is deaf and becomes frustrated with the
ferret and uses what I consider unacceptable punishment (physical abuse
or neglect or mental abuse).
 
Scooby and Maxim are wonderful.  Scooby can be very determined when he
wants to do something that is a no-no but I take into consideration that
he cannot hear my admonishments so we try to redirect him.  Sometimes
this works and sometimes it doesn't.  Typical ferret.
 
Maxim is much older and sometimes jumps when he's sleeping and I reach for
him.  I can vacuum right next to him and he sleeps on.  He isn't quite
the cuddler but he's had a rough life and suffers the 'no-one wants me'
syndrome.  He's coming along nicely and sometimes he'll sleep next to me,
but only if I don't cuddle him.
 
Minge, on the other hand, is a handful.  Very determined, more so than
Scooby, when he sets his mind to something.  Minge is under 2 years and
I'm still trying to determine if he is deaf or just stubborn.  But he is
still very sweet and intelligent.  I just need to work more with him.
 
I've heard horror stories of biting ferrets being euthenized because the
ferrets would bite terribly and the people didn't know to check for
deafness nor did their vets.
 
Hugs to all. tle
 
 Troy Lynn Eckart
Ferret Family Services
http://www-personal.ksu.edu/~sprite/ffs.html
http://www.geocities.com/Petsburgh/Haven/5481/
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[Posted in FML issue 3116]