Yesterday Hilbert was out of their room for a full condo run and led me
to the refrigerator, bumping me and it sequentially. When it was opened
he pointed to the section of the door that has the fish oil and the
Performance Foods/Totally Ferret emu oil compound, Vivify. The ferrets
love both of those so I asked him. "Hilbert want fish oil?" He laid on
the floor and gave a hang-dog expression and body attitude. Okay, not
fish oil. "Hilbert want Emu?" Up came the ears, up came his head, and
up he jumped, licking chops. Well, that was impossible to miss. He got
Vivify.

Today Hubble and engaged in our game of "telling secrets". First I make
"Psst, psst psst" sounds into one of his ears and then he reaches over
to one of my ears and does the same. (BTW, we can trade ears, too. If
I switch to his other side he will switch to my other side.) Okay, so
we went only one round of "secrets" before he pointed to where the
Ferretone is kept. So I whispered in his ear, "More secrets". He took
his mouth to my ear but instead of the "Pssst" noises he began making
food and treat desire noises by actively licking his chops and smacking
his lips near my ear.

Hilbert and Morney asked for water the other day with thirsty noises
after banging for our attention. The thirsty noise is pretty much the
same as the lip smack.

Telemna, of course, plays her 4 note piano to initiate communications,
especially begging ones. The 10 note piano is used more by Pivot who
does not have as good a musical sense but likes more variety. Neither
just bangs like many animals do. We have only made one video, though,
because they stop when we film:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ayJ-WvVaRnE

Sukie (not a vet)

Recommended ferret health links:
http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/ferrethealth/
http://ferrethealth.org/archive/
http://www.afip.org/ferrets/index.html
http://www.miamiferret.org/
http://www.ferrethealth.msu.edu/
http://www.ferretcongress.org/
http://www.trifl.org/index.shtml
http://homepage.mac.com/sukie/sukiesferretlinks.html
all ferret topics:
http://listserv.ferretmailinglist.org/archives/ferret-search.html

[Posted in FML 6374]