Clear DayHey Hey Hey,
 
I found Wolfy's comments very interesting on the extremes of replies about
the intelligence of deaf ferrets and the predominance of WS markings.
 
My Blaze is a silver mit blaze with knee pads and dark blue eyes,
definitely very WS and totaly deaf.  I find him VERY intelligent.  When I
was potty training him, I would put him into the proper place as soon as
he started backing up.  I had to put him in the proper place several times
before he got the idea but when he did, viola, he got a treat.  The very
next time he got up in the morning, as soon as he came out of the cage, he
ran to his spot and *pretended to go* and then looked to me for a treat.
Not only does that show intelligence, it shows a retention of memory for
a signifigant period of time (at least 8 hours).
 
As for his social behavior, he is totaly clueless.  He is rough and tumble
and beats the others up unmercifully.  Not out of meaness, I think he is
just playing too hard but he plays so hard, only the kits can tolerate
him.  The rest take one look, scream at him and run away.  He is currently
caged with my youngest, Navidad, who took to him as a 4 month old kit.
Blaze gets into so...... much mischeif that his nickname is Junior (from
the movie "Problem Child".)
 
HappyTails,
Karen and the Scruff You Gang
 
HappyTails,
Karen and the Scruff You Gang
Secretary Dook-N-Dance Ferret Shelter
www.dook-n-dance.org
[Posted in FML issue 3795]