Garret, the now old-timer of the household, has learned a new behavioral
'trick'.
 
First a bit of background.  Garret came down with a flaming bladder
infection 3 weeks ago.  He couldn't pee, the poor boy.  After spending
several days at the vet, getting poked, expressed, prodded, and shot up, he
came home with a nice full bottle of Batril (sp?) tablets to be given to him
orally, twice a day.  The tab is cut in two.
 
I learned very quickly that the key to a ferret's open mouth is bribery..ie:
lots of Ferretone!  Ok, I give him several good pulls on the bottle and then
flip him upside-down, stroke his chin and...YAWN goes the mouth.  I plop the
half pill in the back of his throat and before he can finger out that he has
been had, I stick the Ferretone bottle in his mouth again.
 
OK, so then he learns to not open his mouth...oh..the reflex to yawn is ever
powerful, but he gives a little shudder and the mouth snaps shut as he
starts to open it.  Now I have to forcibly open his mouth.  He is NOT a
happy ferret.  BUT........the Ferretone makes up for it.
 
Right..remember the behavioral modification I mentioned at the outset?  NOW
the little sh...er...rascal calmly lets me pop the pill in the back of his
throat, then (That is the give-away...calmly!) awaits the Ferretone.  After
2 minutes of 'good boy's' and other calming phrases, I let him up, where-as
he looks around at me, stretches and goes SPITOOEY!  The pill half goes
flying across the floor in one direction, and he goes war dancing off in the
other..knowing full well he has fooled me!
 
Twice in a row he has done this..so, he is doing it with careful
deliberation.  Sigh.  It is so hard keeping up with these little masters of
tom foolery and playful deceit.  It was no wonder he had such a smug look on
his face this morning.
 
Joe
Garret: Try and make me take these awful tasting things, will you.........
Snorkle:  Wanna play?  Wanna play??  WANNA PLAY!!!???
[Posted in FML issue 2025]