Oh sure, anyone can get their ferrets to understand things like "do you
want a kiss?" and "would you like to play a game?" :-).  Take Gimlet for
instance-he clearly knows the meaning of "do you want to go for a walk"
run to the door and wag tail vigorously for yes, go 'flat' for no.  and
"would you like a treat" run to the fridge and wag tail vigorously for
yes (funnily enough no has never come up for this one).  Or even "Gimlet,
somebody has just got out of the shower-go and attack them"
 
However, when I say "Gimlet it's 4am go back to sleep" or "Gimlet that's
my ankle, ouch let go Gimlet" He looks at me like he has absolutely no
idea what I am saying, like I have suddenly started talking some strange
new language that no ferret could ever possibly understand.  What is this
strange language I wonder?  Could it be similar to the temporary deafness
that husbands suffer when asked to take out the trash?  ; )
 
Skye
 
PS.  At around 4am the other morning I managed to earn 2 minute reprieves
by saying "Gimlet do you want to go for a walk" sending him running off
to the door to wait for me- I did this three times before he wised up,
snuck back into bed and bit me on the nose!  He is like some little,
furry, bitey... snooze alarm.
[Posted in FML issue 4502]