I have written to you all about all of my six balls of fluff at one time
or another, and now Merlin must surface to your attention.  After being
disturbed by his bitey, jumpy, non-people friendly behavior, I got my
friends from Dook-N-Dance Shelter in NC to take a look at him.  We had
discussed his case many times, and now we thought we new the answer.  To
confirm, Linda ran the vacuum in front of him, and then she banged a
metal spoon on a metal cooking pot.  Merlin ignored everything, while
his five sisters and brothers had their hair poofed up ready to kill
whatever it was that was making that ear-splitting annoying noise.
 
The vertict is that my precious Merlin is deaf.  Funny translation: All
those times we fussed at him for biting-- Well, he never heard a word!
He has the white tell-tale markings of whatever syndrome Linda said he
had that made him deaf.  It all makes since now-- He plays so rough,
because he can't hear any human (or ferret) tell him not to!
 
So here's the skinny-- I need a bit of advice on the BEST way to handle
him.  I know to be more physical with his discipline; I know to show more
extreme emotion (Very happy vs very mad) with him.  Is there anything
else I need to know?  He is so rough in playing (mainly with me and his
"bonded brother" Lance).  He came really close to drawing blood on me the
other day.  Don't you just hate it when they grab your finger through the
cage, and you can't reach them with the other hand to make them let go?!
 
 From:
Lori and Rat's Brats
(Lance, Loki, Merlin, Nikita, Pirate, and Smokey)
 
The Fur Kids sell on eBay; want to see?
members.ebay.com/aboutme/ferret-math/
[Posted in FML issue 4054]