vkp23
Going Natural
Posts: 192
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Post by vkp23 on Jan 26, 2011 2:29:26 GMT -5
I'm wondering if Timmy is def. He isn't a panda or DEW or blaze or anything, but the girls will respond to a squeaky toy I use to call them out of hiding but Timmy will not. I'm not entirely sure how ferrets respond to noise (I'm still new to ferrets) so I was thinking maybe it was similar to how guinea pigs and rats and even dogs respond to noise. I know with guinea pigs if you make a kiss sound their ears will jump. So I picked each of the girls up and squeaked the toy behind their heads. (This was to have something to base reactions off of.) They would have a little ear twitch and turn their head to the sound. Timmy didn't seem to respond at all. He would turn his head after squeaking for a min BUT it could have been the air blowing out of the toy ruffling his fur that made his head turn. I tried calling him and couldn't tell if he heard me or saw me move when he turned his head. Even just now I fussed at Miko of getting into something and Zip came running out to see what was going on. Timmy is still sleeping under the couch. This could explain why I haven't hear a peep from him. Miko and Zip talk to each other almost non stop. Timmy makes no sounds at all, even if one of them are talking to him. what are some things I can do to see if he really is def? Sneak up behind him and bang some pots or something?
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Post by bluemoose on Jan 26, 2011 2:48:05 GMT -5
Only one of mine responds to a squeaky toy and they can all hear. Ferrets have selective hearing and are happy to pretend they can't hear you even if they can. I've found what works the best is a sudden, unexpected sound. For instance, if mine are wandering the house and the dogs suddenly start barking outside, they'll all run into hiding. You can try shaking a can with coins in it, rattling keys, ect. Try not to use something that sends out vibrations like a vacuum because he'll feel that even if he can't hear it. I've never had a deaf ferret but I've heard that a lot of times they're actually louder than the ones who can hear because they can't hear themselves to know what a racket they're making
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Post by sherrylynne on Jan 26, 2011 10:37:23 GMT -5
One way I've always tested mine for deafness is to hold them on their back in your hands. The hearing ones will tend to try to sit right back up, the deaf ones tend to toss their heads around as though trying to see what's back there. Not accurate all the time, but one clue. Coins in a tin are another. When I'm vacuuming, my hearing ferrets wake right up, my deaf ones take longer to do so. Here is a sight on deaf ferrets: wolfysluv.terrabox.com/deaf.htmlActually, it's a really good read all the way round. It also deals with blind ferrets, physically impaired, etc. Her son is autistic, and the way his ferret helped bring him out of himself was amazing!
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