Animal Talk: Ferrets
Owners' Communication Methods
In her email (November 5, 2005), Heather Stotz, who run a ferret shelter, recently was given an abused, biting ferret, had made a breakthrough in communication with the ferret. She has an encouraging attitude and believes in herself.
"The ferret was (and still can be) very hostile towards people, jumping at any exposed skin and taking quite a good bite out of you. She even bit through my thumbnail the first day I had her. But on the second day I noticed that she didn't respond to my voice like my other ferrets did, she slept through my hand-clapping, loud-talking, and even vacuuming. She was deaf. I named her "Alex" (after Alexander Graham Bell, hoping to have a break-through in communication here as well)."
Stotz was faced with problems and she sought can came up with creative solutions with successful result.
"I couldn't discipline her as I would with my other ferrets (scruffing them and saying "no"). I couldn't scruff her because of the abuse she suffered, and the saying 'no' wouldn't help (or so I thought at the time)."
"When she does bite, I lift her up (wearing gloves, in which I bought those the day after she bit through my thumbnail; incidentally that really hurt) and gently blow in her face, while mouthing the word 'no'. Constant support and contact is a must, as are rewards! She will now lick treats off my finger without trying to eat my finger with it."
Signing "no" could also work. Mouthing "no" is a form of visual morpheme or "sign/word" that is likely no different from mouthing "no" which is not a form of sound. Animals understand visual-manual words as much as vocal-auditory words.
"I've also tried some "bitter apple" a product you can buy and spray on things giving them a very bitter taste so hopefully the animal will not bite or chew. However with her other senses heightened, she will smell until she finds a spot I missed, and pick that spot to latch onto. I'm also working on some aroma-therapy, but not sure how that is going yet. Some scents seem to excite her more than others. She also really enjoys sensory experiences: grass, water, crinkled paper, etc."
"But I will say that by far the most effective method is by touch. Even if it is through a glove, it is effective. Now I can hold her and pet her without a glove (unless she's in a "mood")." "And I just love her. So Alex and I say not to give up -- be creative! Use what other senses you have available, and be persistent- you never know when a breakthough will come."