Hi All-
We have two ferrets - Mojo and Wilbur.  Mojo has a total disregard for
noises - squeaky, high-pitched or otherwise -- UNLESS they're loud noises.
He hides from loud noises.
 
Wilbur, OTOH, is completely unfazed by loud noises.  Not bothered a bit.
BUT don't try to play a musical instrument around him, unless it's a drum.
Whenever we play any of our instruments -- guitar, hammered dulcimer,
mandolin, or bowed psaltery -- he MUST bite.  He doesn't want to bite.
He MUST bite.  It's like he's in a trance or something.  When we stop
playing, he stops trying to bite.
 
With tremendous patience, we have been able to get him to stop this
behaviour about 50% of the time.  Instead he'll put himself in the cage.
We never use the cage for punishment.  This is something he started doing
by himself.
 
Whenever he tries to bite we've always stopped playing and told him "no"
firmly and scruffed him gently.  The minute we'd start playing again, he'd
try to bite again.  One day he just put himself in the cage instead of
trying to bite.  We closed the doors, gave him a treat, and he put himself
to bed.  Went to sleep -- out like a light.  When we stopped playing he
popped out of the cage and went about his normal ferrety business.
 
We also try to schedule our practice time for the mid-afternoon when he's
in his soundest under-the-couch sleep period.
 
Why the need to bite?  I have no idea.  I don't think it's a pain issue
because once he's in the cage he goes right to sleep.  Sound, deep sleep.
Don't think he could do that if he was in pain.
 
Maybe it's alien implants.
 
-Lo
[Posted in FML issue 3669]