Grass Enrichment

Enrichment is a very important aspect of any pet's life, especially the curious and high-energy critters like ferrets, to keep them stimulated and interested in their environment. This includes various textures, smells, tastes, colors, etc., which should be something other than their "normal" everyday surroundings. I decided to give my little Niko something he'd never seen, felt, or smelled before - GRASS!

Usually it's an unsafe decision to take your pet ferret for walks outside in the grass, due to the sheer number of bugs and parasites that your little furball can catch from stagnant water, other animal feces, and the like. So I found some pet-safe grass at a local pet store that I could safely give him to dig in and do what he pleased.

His reaction was quite amusing, and I have declared the grass a successful enrichment initiative! :)

Possible Water-Snorkeler?

Whereas many ferrets are highly averse to being in the bathtub - for cleaning or even for play - I've read that deaf ferrets actually appear to enjoy being in the water. People say that their activity appears playful, splashing about and fearlessly snorkeling, submerging their faces and heads into the water.

I have a personal theory as why this might be the case - perhaps they cannot hear the difference in pressure when their ears go underneath the water? We all know what it's like to swim under water - even a scream becomes stifled to human ears, and hearing is eerily different and quiet. So why should it be any different for ferrets, with their supersensitive hearing capabilities? But NOT for deaf ferrets - they would never be able to tell the difference!

I decided to put this theory to the test by putting Niko in the bath tub for the first time ever. I didn't want to scare him out of his wits, in case he didn't like it, so I only filled the tub with less than an inch of water. I video-taped his initial reaction... both while in the tub, AND the ensuing the crazy goofball antics afterward (he acted just like a dog does after a bath!) Conclusion? Deaf ferrets definitely don't seem to mind the water at all! Check it out:

Waardenburg Syndrome

"Deafness in ferrets is usually a genetic defect caused by Waardenburg syndrome, which results in the underdevelopment of the hearing mechanism of the inner ear. In ferrets with Waardenburg syndrome, deafness is genetically linked with white markings on the face. Generally, this affects ferrets with "blaze" markings (a white "badger stripe" on top of the head and a white bib) and those with "panda" markings (a white head and bib, with no mask). It's estimated that 75 percent of badger and panda ferrets are deaf." [Source: http://www.cypresskeep.com/Ferretfiles/Deaf.htm]

So there you have it. My little Niko, as you can plainly see, has white fur almost all over his face and head. Specifically, he is a blaze-panda mix, with a distinct white stripe going down his head between his ears.

I first noticed that something was amiss when he did not respond to his squeaky toy the same day that I brought him home. Moreover, he appeared to not respond to ANY sudden noises. I watched closely when he was sleeping, and made noises to try to wake him up. Again nothing. I could squeal, jangle keys, yell, click a clicker, crinkle his bag of treats... NOTHING seemed to get his attention. Only if he SAW me would he amble over to the side of his cage and appear interested. He gets very startled if you approach him from behind. Often he bites incredibly hard when he plays, and he never has a reaction when I say "ow!" very loudly. In addition, he seems overly clumsy - he often bangs his head into walls what seems to be WAY too hard when he plays, it sounds like it probably hurts. And he displays a slight variation of the "Pez" behavior - but instead of flipping his head entirely backward, he does it off to the side a lot. I haven't gotten a chance to test his water-snorkeling capabilities (which I've read deaf ferrets actually seem to like, in comparison to hearing ferrets). I intend to experiment with Niko's water affinity very soon, just to see how he responds.

All in all, though, Niko displays a great amount of behavior that is typical of deaf ferrets. I am thoroughly convinced that he possesses the greatest degree of Waardenburg syndrome - total deafness - and aside from small "dooking" noises every now and then, he otherwise seems to be mute. However, instead of focusing on his deafness as a bad thing, I am taking a different approach, which is what every loving ferret owner should do. My fuzzbutt and I are going to have to work closely on developing a more fine-tuned way of communicating that better suits his capabilities!