Q: "BOB!!  I've heard you have seen a lot of ferret bones.  Someone on the
   FML said flicking a ferret's nose can break the bones....is that true?"
 
A: It does when using a hammer.
 
The ferret, like all mustelids, does not have a skull shaped like most
carnivores (nor humans).  It is heavily modified for a style of hunting
allowing it access to burrows.  Consequently, the skull is long and flat
and extends behind the ears a considerable distance to make up a large
portion of the "neck." (I have placed neck in quotations because what is
visually seen as the neck is actually a couple of the top thoracic
vertebrae, the cervical vertebrae, and the back of the skull.  The cervical
vertebrae makes up maybe 3/4th of the "neck" length).  The sort of
modifications required to maintain cranial integrity (that it, the ability
of the skull to protect the brain and provide support for jaw muscles and
teeth) require the skull bones to be proportionally THICKER than in other
carnivores of the same size (which there are not many because mustelids are
so successful, so the point is somewhat theoretical).
 
This thickness of skull extends from the back of the skull to the tip of
the nose.  The thin, delicate turbinate bones which support the olfactory
tissue lie deep inside a thick "tube" composed of the sides of the incisive
(or premaxilliary) bones, the maxillary bones, the various palatine bones,
the nasal bones, and parts of the temporal and frontal bones.  All these
bones are so completely fused together that even the suture lines become
difficult to distinguish, and it becomes quite difficult deciding where one
bone ends and the other begins.  The nose is supported by a thick and
rubbery piece of cartilage which is anchored directly to the bone.  Why
are the nose bones so thick?
 
There are three prevailing theories why noses in ferrets (polecats,
weasels, mustelids in general) are so heavily protected, and all have
validity.  First, the bone supports the maxillary dental arcade, especially
the canines, and must be strong to withstand severe biomechanical forces
(try to imagine the stress placed on the teeth and bones when a polecat
sinks those canines into a rabbit twice it's body weight and attempting to
escape).  These teeth are literally almost as far forward as mechanically
possible.  It is clear that the bone supporting them must be strong enough
to prevent the front of the skull from fracturing during biting.  Bone is
primarily strengthened by becoming thicker.  The second theory is that
since most mustelids have sacrificed vision as a primary sense in favor of
their olfactory sense, protecting the nerves and tissues which provide
smell is paramount.  The third reason is that many mustelids employ nose
biting as part of their sexual rituals (you can scan for bleeding noses and
determine the number of ovulating sea otters), and bone thickness in the
nasal region serves a protective function.  While I think the first reason
is the primary one, the other reasons makes sense as well, and all probably
explain the bone thickness in ferret skulls.
 
What this means from a biomechanical sense is that the force required to
fracture the nasal bones would be severe enough to fracture the skull as
well.  In fact, based on recovered remains of zooarchaeological specimens,
it would probably be EASIER to fracture the cranial case than break the
nose (most recovered remains are ONLY the facial bones).  It is very
unlikely finger thumping would cause actual damage to the ferret, although
it is clear from a ferret's reactions that thumping is uncomfortable and
likely somewhat painful.  There is more of a danger, however slight, that
some bruising to the brain may occur in hard nose flicks, but remember the
ferret evolved from a long line of animals that ran down rocky burrows at
top speed and would have bumped into things from time to time.  It is hard
to imagine, however painful, these types of bumps would have caused less
damage than the typical nose thump.
 
With all this said, do not misunderstand my OPINION on nose thumping.  Pain
(discomfort) has always been part of behavior modification because it works
so well and so rapidly.  But it has been largely abandoned because fear
reactions are a frequent side effect; animals tend to display a "kicked
dog" or "hyperaggressive" attitude (both typical fear reactions).  While
nose thumping MAY quickly break a biting habit, it can also result in the
breaking of a ferret's spirit.  Just because painful training methods work
rapidly, it doesn't follow that they are BETTER than non-physical methods.
Rewarding ferrets for good behaviors and yelling "Ouch" when bit (and then
giving a time out) work just as well, albeit a bit longer.  I do not think
pain, however slight, is more effective than non-painful methods in
convincing a ferret not to bite people.
 
Bob C and 16 Mo' Felonious Phalange Fanciers
[Posted in FML issue 3062]