Just a few things..
 
Question: How long have you noticed your ferrets' object persistence
memories to be?  Or 'similar object' knowledge transferral?  Ie, an example
from a few days ago and a few years ago, both with Potpie.  Most of my
ferrets, if you hide an object from them, forget it's there.  Also, if I
hide a treat in my pocket, the next time I see them they won't immediately
think, "look for treat in pocket." But if I do it several times, they'll
figure out that the pocket contains a treat.  Well, Potpie has a pretty
great memory for these things, particularly if it's something cool, like,
oh, say, a poinsetta carelessly left on the stove surface (where she can get
to).  Normally she only climbs up onto the stove once a week, but a few days
ago when she did, there was a POTTED PLANT there.  Silly me forgot about it
and was merely happy that Potpie was keeping herself entertained for such a
long time - until I went into the kitchen to find dirt all over the stove,
floor, and little ferret footprints everywhere.  My silly mistake (and her
fun) aside, *every time* she has been let out since then, she's climbed onto
the stove looking for that plant.  Pretty good memory there.
 
Also, I used to have a computer desk with a very easily opened lower file
drawer (it was on wheel runners).  Potpie could get behind it, push open the
drawer, and from there get into and push open all the other drawers.  I got
rid of the desk one year and many years later got a completely different
desk - different shaped, material, size, everything.  But she still figured
she could open the bottom drawer & that was the first thing she did.  Anyone
else got a ferret with a better than average memory?
 
A very simple thing that gets my ferrets very wound up - hold them upside
down, one hand supporting shoulders, other supporting the rump.  They should
think this is pretty neat in and of itself, but if you rest the top of their
skull on the flor and slowly let them slide out of your hands so they're
sort of oozing onto the floor on their backs, they'll probably either think
you're really weird or get really excited. :)  Dunno why, but it works every
time with mine.
 
Happy holidays!
 
Melissa
 
 __ Melissa Litwicki ____ [log in to unmask] __
 By the whole newsgroup devoted tennis showing
     it after scarfing fork and laughters
[Posted in FML issue 2166]