Oh yes, ferrets CAN count! I have been observing/recording ferret behavior
for a couple of years now. When I was working on a project to determine how
easily ferrets can learn behavior patterns (Pavlov's Ferrets--btw way they
learn very well) I also discovered that they can count. If that's what you
want to call it.
 
Some of the ferrets get treats daily.  Four of the ferrets get raisins
daily, but they always, get the exact same number every day.  Shadow and
Spaghetti each get four raisins a day, and Slinky and Patches get two a day.
Shadow and Spaghetti (caged separately) have their raisins placed on a towel
in their cages, and they know exactly where to look for them at bedtime.  I
carefully place all four raisins on the towel.  They eat them, then nestle
down for bedtime, without so much as a glance for a fifth raisin.  But, if I
should screw up, and give them only three raisins, they eat them, one, two,
three...then feverishly search for the fourth.  And, on a couple of
occasions, I have put five raisins down (just to mess with them <g>).  Some
times they see or smell it and just eat it as a bonus.  But if it's not
right in front of their noses, after the fourth they just curl up and go to
sleep, not even noticing the fifth!
 
Slinky and Patches (caged together) have a different routine, so their
patterns aren't as easy to monitor.  They are caged at bedtime, then they
get two raisins each passed to them through the bars of the cage.  However,
they are extremely competitive, so I have to make sure that I pass one
raisin per ferret through the bars at the exact same time (one in my right
hand, one in left) or they'll try to steal it from each other.  Due to this
competitiveness, they try to gulp it down as fast as possible to be ready
for the next raisin, thinking if they aren't there, the other one will get
it.  It's so funny.  But because of this, they haven't gotten the hang of
two only...actually, it's probably more due to the fact that sometimes I'll
give a third to one of them, if he's looking quite darling or if he needs
special attention.  This breaks the routine, and they know that they can
sometimes beg for an extra.  But I have no doubt that if I consistently gave
them each only the two per day, they'd learn and not ask for a third.
 
Makes sense that ferrets can count, since they are so fond of pushing ferret
math on us all the time....
 
Kymberlie Becker
Director, Pennsylvania Ferret Rescue Association
"Forget Puppy Love...There's nothing Greater than Ferret Love!" TM
http://home.sprynet.com/sprynet/ferretlady
[Posted in FML issue 1992]