Hello....our names are April Crompton and Deb Bistodeau.  We both are
the deaf owners of MN Wardancer Ranch and Rescue shelter in Minnesota.
It has been very interesting to see how people thinks differently about
the deafness.  Too often, I think being a deaf person myself can be a
big advantage.  I specialize in ferrets that are the most severe, meat
shredding biters that are put on "death row" where they have no place to
go because their bites are too far off for anyone to handle.  Often, those
biting ferrets that came into my home resulted to be deafies.  Almost half
of my 60-65 ferrets are deaf ferrets.
 
When I was a young girl, there were a few times that I didn't know how to
get the words out to someone.  What happened?  I got into a temper tantrum
because I was frustrated in not being able to communicate at first before
I learned sign language.  (Hey, there's a sign language for the word,
"ferret" that was invented and spreaded out since 1989).  It's probably
the same for the ferrets.  Also, people that cannot tolerate or never knew
that the ferret is a deaf - deaf ferret tends to react out when scared or
startled.  It results often in abusive situations for ferrets to the point
where they would bite back at humanies to prevent from getting hurt again
and again.  Many of the severe biters in my home are "reformed biters" and
many of them are very, very cuddly babies in my arms where I can put my
face to them to snuggle.  It is a neat feeling.  Another advantage in being
a deaf shelter operator myself....I work with the deaf ferrets and they
learn to look for me.  Some of them learns to watch for my hand movements
as a form of communication such as waving my arms in the air to get their
attention then move one of my arms forward and backward, "come here".  They
would happily run to me.  Sometimes I turn the light off and on and the
deaf ferret would look up then look around to see what is it from and sees
me.  It is the neatest thing in the world when you are able to communicate
with a few of them.  Often, deaf ferrets learn to bob into water to yank
the raisins faster than the hearing ferrets.  I watched a deaf ferret,
Cassie, learning so quickly than all of her 9 other friends and she ended
up "teaching" her friends!  For the ones that are hopeless in learning,
Cassie bobs and run to this ferret and drop down a raisin for him/her to
munch.  It was hilarious.
 
What I'm trying to say here is that everyone of all races, religions,
sizes, colors, sexuality preference, handicaps, and none, DOES have
disadvantages and advantages.  It doesn't matter which one of those things
we are....we are not perfect and that is what makes life very interesting.
It goes the same for ferrets.  Smiles.
 
Another thing...if anyone remembers the ferret owner, Tanya Williams' FML
posting asking for sign language for "ferret" for her little boy, Eric,
that couldn't speak too well as a result of castophosic health situations.
All of us got together, thanks to Judy Gronwold (Outlaw50) and we all are
forever linked.  We see Eric and his family often where Eric and his family
are using sign language in an explosive pace.  He is also so gentle around
ferrets.  To see Tanya's website about Eric and the ferrets, email her at
[log in to unmask]
 
April Crompton
Deb Bistodeau
MN Wardancer Ranch and Rescue
'Open your home for one more ferret in need...'
[Posted in FML issue 3118]