I "only" have three ferrets. Al is deaf. As posted by others, he doesn't miss a beat and he takes his cues from Kaie and Matt. He hasn't missed a treat or a call for bedtime in the year that we've had him. I would like to point out one advantage to having a deaf guy. When I go in to the ferret room in the morning for the daily wakeup call to give hugs and kisses and doing some cleaning up - Al sleeps through the routine and Katie and Matt get some undivided attention --- two hands, two ferrets. Then, when Katie and Matt are through, I grab Al for his "stretchies" and hugs --- everyone is happy and nobody is neglected. Sure, Al has some bad habits --- he's a lick, lick chomper and he tends to need a bath sooner than anyone (My little DEW starts to look like a cheese doodle.) but I wouldn't trade him for the world. Also, I posted before. Marshall Farms offered to give me a full refund for the "defective ferret" if I returned him or half price credit at the store where I purchased (I know, I know - I wasn't shelter educated) him. Yeah right! I took them up on the 1/2 credit and bough ferretone, ear cleaner, and ferrtvite that went to the local NY/NJ shelters! -- Kristeen, JT, Katie, Matt & Al [Posted in FML issue 3116]