I enjoyed Bob's comments on ferret intelligence.  I'm amazed at how smart,
yet very different from cats or dogs ferrets are.  Since Bob said they have
problem solving skills similar to small primates, I wonder if training
techniques designed for small primates would be successful.  What kind of
small primates, btw?  Lemurs?  Or, what are those tiny ones that live in
pairs in trees?  Dagnabit!
 
Well, anyway, dog and cat training strategies don't work.  My ferrets are
not gluttonous or eager-to-please.  My one consolation is that they invent
their own "tricks" and those are fun to watch.  When people come over to
visit, I let the guys downstairs, and I tell them, "Sebastian will find
Brent's shoes and hide one or both insoles, then he'll *wait* until we're
not paying attention and attack the plants." And he always does.  I also
enjoyed a classic "double-take" that Sebastian did for some visitors of ours
recently.
 
We brought down one of his all-time most coveted objects-the dread blue
snake also known as a keyboard wrist rest-and left it on the floor.  He
grabbed it and stashed it under the coffee table, then went about his
business.  Well, I dragged it back out, and left it in his path.  He walked
by, sniffed it, and started walking away.  Then he stopped, turned around,
and sniffed it again.  He looked really confused for a minute, then grabbed
it and stashed itunder the coffee table again.
 
My interpretation: he remembered that he had put it away, and was surprised
to see it laying around again.  That takes a pretty good sized IQ.
 
Also, Bob, do you have any idea what the evolutionary advantage of hiding
and stealing things like socks, insoles, pieces of foam rubber, wallets,
erasers, pens, PANTS, etc.  is?
 
I could go on and on about the smart things my guys do, but you all
probably have just as many stories, so I'll refrain.
 
Check out my newly remodelled web page:
http://www-personal.umich.edu/~cshaffer
 
There's a little bit of ferret stuff on it, but I haven't got any pictures
yet.  If you'd like me to put in a link to your ferret page, or any other,
let me know.
 
-Catherine
[Posted in FML issue 1530]