To:    Nicole & Rebecca
Subject: ferrets & bagpipes
 
Long, long time ago, before the invent of pesticides, ferrets were used as
rodent control.  Remember the old fairy tale about the pied piper?  Well, in
old Europe, ferreters came to a town to rid it of rodents by opening their
bag of ferrets and turning them loose to drive out the vermin.  do you think
he kept them on leashes?  NOOOOO!  He would exterminate the rats and mice the
ferrets flushed, then pull out his pipe to call the ferrets back to him!
 
This is not a fairy tale - dogs respond to to whistles, cats respond to can
openers, and ferrets like music!  This is a small part of the domestication
process.  Teaching animals to respond to human stimulis (sp?).  Some people
have ferrets which react/respond to squeak toys, others to bells, still
others to musical instruments.
 
Take advantage of training you ferret to a particular sound - if he/she ever
gets lost outside, sound travels much more effectively through walls and
holes than our eyes and ears to search out and lure our friends back to us.
 It is in their nature to respond when called, it's just that many times they
do not hear us (or choose to ignore us if they can see us [I'm not going back
in that cage just yet!]).
 
Again - find a toy or instrument that your ferret always responds to and
train your ferret in case of an emergency.
 
This public service reminder is brought to you by STAR* Ferrets - Shelters
That Adopt & Rescue - I don't want to meet your ferret through my lost and
found service!
 
Pam Grant
[Posted in FML issue 1101]