Hope you're all enjoying the New Year.  Here in New England we seem to be
stuck in the deep freeze with my thermometer registering 1 degree!!
There'll be no outings for ferrets at that temperature.
 
Re harmonica sounds:
I bought my husband a Marine Band harmonica for Christmas one year.  We'd
had our first ferret, Slinky, by then and she was about 12 months old.
Whenever Rob tried to practice his songs....Slinky would come running and
jump up to him Brp Brp Brping all the way.  (My ferrets only vocalize when
they are unhappy.) We thought it was cute and would do it just to get a
reaction from her.  We soon realized it was probably bothering her ears and
stopped.  Of course my husband never got past "Yankee Doodle Dandy" but we
do love our ferrets and they do come first.
 
There are some sounds they definitely seem to react to.  We were surprized
at the intensity with which she reacted.  We've never tried it with our
other 4 ferrets.  I think we'll try it and see if the others have a negative
and vocal reaction also.
 
Our ferrets aren't trained to come to any sound and if they all react to
the harmonica...that's what we can use.
 
We travel with our ferrets in a motorcoach in the summer.  Whenever the gas
alarm goes off (it's when I use any spray(hair or cologne)can) Slinky would
beat me to it.  It's level with her nose and I've had thoughts of training
her to push it with her nose to stop the alarm.  It is a terrible sound and
it sure brings her running.  This will be the first time we've traveled with
5 ferrets.  We managed 3 well but 5 will definitely be a challenge.
 
I enjoy the list and thank all who make it possible.
 
                          Maureen and Rob
                          Slinky...spoiled queen bee
                          Willie and Baby  aka.  Frick andFrack
                          Dooey and Deany...two new boys on the block
[Posted in FML issue 1436]