Ok -- Right off the bat, here go the disclaimers -- not a vet, not a
biologist, not a behaviorist...just a shelter mom in flame retardant
pj's.....
 
If (and in my opinion, a mighty big stretch..)the ferrets allegedly
attacking children are because the ferrets are devolving, then will someone
please explain dog attacks?  Domestic animal attacks in general?  I read
the paper too -- The attacks that are publicized seem to be a lack of pet
ownership responsibility... the equation is almost always: large dogs(or
substitute any domestic pet) + improper or inadequate training + careless
or indifferent owner + small children x lack of supervision = tragedy.
 
Don't blame the pets -- put the blame where it belongs -- on (supposedly
higher order) the pet owners!!  Pet ownership is a privilege --and there are
abuses and always exceptions, but it seems rather absurd to try and point
the blame at the ferret in particular as devolving in the reasoning for
these alleged attacks.
 
Why does it seem that no one is willing to take responsibility anymore?  If
I own a pet, I keep the pet until its natural death.  I train the pet on
what I feel is acceptable behavior.  I supervise the pet (if children are
around) to protect both from each other.  If my pet destroys someone else's
property or hurts another person -- I FAILED as a pet owner, not the pet.
 
(I will again digress to my "horsey" days) -- the only times I ever was hurt
by a horse was when I screwed up -- either by startling them by walking
silently around a corner and getting kicked, or walking in front of a horse,
or introducing her too suddenly to a new environment or horse.  I had to
understand that a horse's natural instinct when confronted by a situation
that it perceives as dangerous will be to react in one of two ways: Fight
(if cornered) or Flight (preferred).  Once I understood her behavior, it was
my responsibility to respect it.  My getting hurt had absolutely nothing to
do with whether horses were evolving or not, but with me getting careless.
I can't see the ferret issue as being any different.
 
I have a female ferret (MF) who will attack you if you squeak a toy -- she
will run across the house and bite you until you drop the toy -- I certainly
don't think that she is a "throwback" to wild polecats -- just an
overprotective maternal natured ferret!  (BTW, I only mentioned that she is
MF so that you might not think that she was a late alter or retired jill) I
always assumed that she thought I had a kit and the squeak toy mimicked a
kits distress call.  Call me silly, or whatever you like -- that was my
reasoning based on the circumstance.  I certainly learned very quickly that
when Pele was out, you DID NOT squeak a toy -- its that simple!  I think the
biggest question here would be, did I change the behavior of the ferret, or
did the ferret change mine?  <grin>
 
Maybe we are not as smart as we think.....and the ferrets really do own
us...maybe...just maybe WE are the ones devolving, not our domesticated
ferret friends.
 
Lisa, Head Ferret
The Ferret Haven "By-the-Sea"
[Posted in FML issue 2257]