Wolfy said:

>... deaf ferrets who love to flip there heads back and watch the world
>upside down. When you try to hold them up to talk to them, and they
>flip their heads back and hold it there looking all around.

And Jacci said something similar:

>... when you pick her up & are holding her like against your chest,
>she throws her head completely back so that she is looking at
>everything upside down. She also rolls over constantly in the middle
>of play. CONSTANTLY!

I haven't ever seen the head flip (pez-head), even though I have a deaf
ferret.

But it seems like eminently reasonable behavior to me. Ferret eyes,
like those of most carnivores, look forward. I imagine deaf ferrets
have to develop strategies to check out what's happening behind them.
The problem with looking around normally (to the side) is that without
already knowing if something is there, you have a 50-50 chance of
turning in the wrong direction. Flipping up and over gives the most
visibility. The only disadvantage (other than the chance of whiplash)
is that you're now seeing upside down. But knowing ferts, that might
be just one more fun element.

The alligator roll is pretty common with my guys, hearing or deaf.

-Claire

[Posted in FML 5722]