Linda abotu deaf ferrets,
 
Does your ferret have a white blaze (stripe) down the top of the head?
Or does the ferret have a completely white head?  Or possibly is it a all
white ferret with 'dark' eyes?  There is a gene that causes these
markings that also causes deafness.  Waardenberg's Syndrome  according to
Fara Shimbo (FURO) is found in at least humans, cats, ferrets and mice.
The white striped ferrets (called variously blazes, shetlands or badgers)
and the white headed ferrets (pandas - actually a VERY WIDE stipe that
covers the whole head) are prized by some but every one I've personally
tested does SEEM deaf.  The all white ferrets can also have the gene but
the stripe is masked by the fact the whole ferret is white.  I haven't
had the time yet to make a fuller study of this.  Sally Heber of the AFA
says she has non-deaf blazes so it may not be all blazes.  I want to try
to find out if there is a relationship between the size of the blaze and
total versus partial deafness - some blaze wannabes have just a dot or
two on the top of the head - might they be less likely to be totally deaf?
 
BUT the real question is how can you test ferrets since they usually
choose to ignore people anyway? :)
 
While helping judge ferrets at shows I've noticed that the blazes and
pandas are the least responsive to noise BTW.
 
bill and diane killian
zen and the art of ferrets
[Posted in FML issue 1140]