Hi, all
I'm new to the FML, but have been sharing my life with ferrets for 8 years.
I operate Carroll Ferret Rescue in Central Maryland, and breed
(Frettchenmeister Ferrets) on a limited scale.
 
I thought I'd take a stab at some of the questions I have seen:
 
Falling ferrets:
Try hanging a hammock just below the edge of each shelf, so that it can
act like a safety net to catch your acrobats (acroferrets?).  For a cage
with several "shelves", try alternating a couple of hammocks like a set of
steps - i.e.,- shelf
                hammock
                        hammock.
For large cages, just replace the strings or hooks on the hammocks with
longer ones.
 
Heights:
Ferret behavior tends to be dominated by their senses of smell and hearing-
with sight coming third.  Many ferrets become apprehensive over heights for
a very good reason.  It is difficult for them to judge the drop.  When you
take into account their short legs - well... did you ever drive over a speed
bump way too fast, causing the car to "bottom out" when the chassis slammed
down to the pavement?  When a ferret jumps down, the front legs can act like
the shock absorbers of your car.  Hit too fast, and WHAM.  Add upper canine
teeth that protrude over the lower lip- guess what hits the floor when a
ferrets legs can't absorb the fall?  This can be very dangerous for the
ferret when jumping down onto a hard floor or pavement.  They "bottom out"
just like the car, and can break their teeth, or suffer even greater
jaw/head injuries.  Many broken teeth blamed on cage biting may be caused by
this type of event(although I have seen cage broken teeth, too).
 
Blind biter:
This ferret desperately needs help.  He should be caged, separate, but near
other ferrets, where he can smell and hear them, but can remain out of
reach.  If necessary, wear gloves to handle the ferret.  This is important.
The ferret needs to learn that people can handle him, but that they are no
threat.  Getting yourself bit badly is of no help to you or the ferret.
Acclimatization to other ferrets can come after he learns to accept people.
Fran Wiles and I once used this method to "tame" 13 albino ferrets that were
rescued from a farm where they were caged and treated like chickens- just
throw some food in, you get the picture.  They were literally wild, never
having been handled or held by a human.  Most became well behaved, but a few
never got over their fear of people.  But, all could be handled to some
degree, it just took time and patience.  The blind ferret should be handled
the same way.  Get him used to being picked up with no harm, so that he can
become used to the smell and sound of a caring human.  Leave the gloves on
top of or next to the cage, so that the ferret becomes accustomed to their
smell.  I hope this helps, because the reward is great- solving a behavior
problem that most ferret owners are not prepared to handle.
 
Terry D. Fike, and lots of furballs
Carroll Ferret Rescue/Frettchenmeister Ferrets
E-mail at:
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[Posted in FML issue 1656]