Gordon? Do your digital ferrets dig deeply with their digits as they dook and dance delightedly deigning to deposit dookey down behind the duvet? Edward, Actually it isn't that difficult to determine if a ferret is deaf. You can gauge their auditory response to a hidden squeaky toy; attempt to startle them with a shaken penny can (not related to the pelican), clap your hands in their vicinity, but not so close they could respond to the air disturbance of your colliding palms. Kissing noises and whistles or bells rung will help you determine if your ferret can or cannot hear. I don't think deaf ferrets dig in the water any more or less than hearing ferrets. I have cared for two deaf ferrets. Josie, my first ferret was a Panda and also exhibited several other neural crest disorder markers besides being deaf. Josie passed away at just over a year old. Crystal is an adoptee; she too started life as a Panda ferret, but now is completely white washed. One thing deaf ferrets will do more than hearing ferrets is apply harder bite pressure when playing because they cannot hear their victims cry out. Conversely deaf ferrets tend to be more vocal with their own complaints and tend to scream more. I have two hearing ferrets that will dig in the water dish. But they don't do it on a regular basis. I try to keep a small "pond" in the bathroom available for them, so they will leave their water dish for just drinking. Sometimes it works- sometimes they drink from the "pond" and empty the water dish! The "pond" is merely a shallow plastic tub of water. I don't clean my ferrets ears - I don't have to, they clean each other's ears! And I do believe that their diet of natural raw meaty bones and whole prey contributes to cleaner ears also. Why? Because the natural form of foods doesn't have all the artificial foreign substances in it that the ferret's body cannot digest and then has to try and get rid of. Cleaning ears shouldn't be anything more than a gentle wiping of the external ear flap anyway - poking something deep into the ear canal could easily make a hearing ferret into a deaf ferret! Regarding the Peanut Butter tainted with Salmonella: I agree that people who choose to offer these flavored treats to their ferrets might want to consider abstaining. Lord knows if the human grades of foods flavored with peanut paste and peanut butter are causing illness and death, then it stands to reason that the lesser quality and lesser regulated animal products would be at high risk also. Check this link for more info: http://www.fda.gov/oc/opacom/hottopics/salmonellatyph.html Personally I don't offer my ferrets peanut butter, because peanuts would not be considered a normal food item for a natural ferret. Cheers, Kim [Posted in FML 6219]