Q: "Hey Bob what gives? You identified the bone but didn't share it
with us? How can we learn?"
A: Why do you assume I can teach?
Some people love to put their boney fingers into every pot, but I am
not one of them. I just don't feel a need to comment on everything
little thing posted on the FML. Sorry, but that is not my job. When
my FML Angel forwarded the original post to me, I looked at the photo
and couldn't identify the bone with certainty, so I emailed asking
for another photo. When the other photos were sent, I knew without
hesitation what bone it was, and I simply replied to her email. See?
Not as sinister as you thought!
However, you asked for elucidation and now you must be punished!
However, I will magnanimously not mention your name so the rest of
the FML doesn't bomb your email box with hate mail for triggering my
lecture gene.
The ferret foot is very similar to the human foot, and is composed of
14 toe bones (the big toe has 2 bones, all the other toes have 3 each),
5 bones in the arch of the foot, and 7 anklebones for a total of 26
bones. That is a pretty complex structure, so try not to step on them,
ok? The anklebones are called tarsals and each one has it's own name
(calcaneus, talus [or astragalus], cuboid, first tarsal, second tarsal,
third tarsal and fourth tarsal [there are many synonyms for various
tarsals, but these are the ones I use]). The bones in the arch of the
foot are called metatarsals, and a number identifies each one; the big
toe is #1 and it runs sequentially to the little piggy, which is #5.
The toe bones are called phalanges (phalanx is singular), and each
one is known by the same number as the articulating metatarsal. The
individual toe bones are called the distal phalanx (the toe bone with
the claw), the medial phalanx (or intermediate; the big toe doesn't
have one), and the proximal phalanx (the one that articulates with the
metatarsal). So, the toe bone with the claw that is next to the big toe
would be called the second distal phalanx and the middle finger bone in
the third toe would be the third medial phalanx.
Tarsals can be identified to individual bone and side of body.
Metatarsals have distinct shapes and can be identified to individual
bone and side of body. Phalanges are readily identified to
proximal-medial-distal, but the exact location and side is extremely
difficult to determine in ferrets; some can and some can't be
identified.
You now know more about ferret foot bones than you ever wanted to know.
Sorry you asked? Well, get out your pencil and paper for the quiz. No
scrolling up, now!
1. How many bones are in the ferret's foot?
2, What are the ankle bones called?
3. Why are to taking a dumb test when your ferrets want to play?
Bob C
[log in to unmask]
[Posted in FML 5854]
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