Random variability is nothing more than varying the times and days of
specific events, such as feeding and exercise times, giving treats,
taking walks, play time, etc., as well as the events themselves.  The
idea is to create an situation that is not so structured as to allow the
ferret to "predict" when something is about to happen, and acts more like
a natural environment where events occur randomly.  The reason this is so
important is because it stimulates the ferret to take a more reactive
role within their environment.  For example, if a ferret knows they will
be fed a favored food each time a whistle is blown, they will associate
the sound of the whistle with the treat.  This is extremely effective if
you want to train a ferret to respond to whistles (I do, but more on this
later), but when it happens for EVERY activity, all you are really doing
to teaching a ferret to ignore their environment.  In highly structured
environments, ferrets adapt to specific activity periods, leaving the
remainder of their schedule empty.  Sleeping, stereotypic behaviors, or
just getting into trouble generally fills this empty time, and the ferret
loses interest in their surroundings.
 
This is a phenomenon of ALL animals: if the environment is "sterile,"
that is, insipid and characterless, then little interest is paid, turning
it into a "gray wall."  New objects stand out in such an environment like
colored balls on a monotonous gray landscape.  The reason for this is
simple: a predator doesn't want to waste time searching areas that are
not going to produce food, but ALL new objects have a high potential of
providing a meal.  In a memorized landscape, they stand out.  This is
even true of many humans; I can immediately recognize if someone used
my desk because of the displacement of objects, NOT because I am
anal-retentive, but because the environment is changed.  The phenomenon
applies to timed events as well, but the times between events become
part of a monotonous "timescape" of little interest to the ferret.
Introducing novelty to break up the monotony is a good idea, but if
time-structured, the monotonous "timescape" STILL exists.  The best
solution to this problem is to RANDOMLY introduce novelty and other
enrichments, not just in terms of objects or situations, but timing
as well.
 
The difference in a ferret's interest in their surroundings can be
remarkable.  They are far more alert because they never know when or
where something interesting is going to happen.  Because the monotonous
timescape has been broken by randomly introduced enrichments, the ferret
is far more interested in their surroundings than when entrenched in a
structured schedule.  Some people point out a dog or cat LIKES a
structured day, BUT they are hardly locked in a cage most of the time.
Even with a structured day, a dog can interact with novel objects within
their environment, with their owner, or with other animals (and species
of animals) if they are present.  A ferret locked inside a cage hardly
has such opportunity, making the need for randomly applied enrichments
all the more important.
 
How can you break up a structured schedule?  Vary the times and the
length of time a ferret is out of their cage.  Don't get set into the
"two playtimes a day" rule, but some days toss in a few extra play
times.  When applying an enrichment program, don't lock into specific
times, but randomly vary the schedule so the ferret cannot predict when
something will happen.  This not only applies to time, but also to
enrichments as well.  Don't get locked into an "it is Tuesday, so that
must mean novelty enrichment" state of mind.  Take your entire suite of
enrichment programs, and not only vary the time they are given, but the
exact enrichments as well.  You can make the schedule more random if you
write each enrichment on a slip of paper, and then draw one a day from a
hat.  You don't have to be so random with times; just varying the time of
an event by a few hours will be sufficient in most cases.
 
Making enrichment novel or random is great, but how long does it take a
ferret to become bored with your wonderful idea or toy?  All to often, a
ferret will run over to a new toy, sniff them, many interact with them
for a while, and then walk away, showing NO interest in the object again.
The problem is the ferret is TOO smart; simple situations or basic toys
can become boring faster than a ferret can find a corner to poop.
Ferrets are very intelligent and so they need complex enrichments.
Intelligence and complexity go hand in hand.
 
Bob C
[Posted in FML issue 4191]