From:
slurpeegirlca
Date: 2002-03-08 19:59:00 UTC
Subject: Re: Behavior question: Pillowcase-sucking weasel
I too had a ferret that exhibited this behavior, only with towels
and facecloths. Winston, a neutered 5.5yo at the time, was a rescue
but he had been at our house for a year and a half before this
started. We did suspect that he was adrenal as he was *extremely*
aggessive towards other ferrets, had the adrenal smell, and had
begun marking everything. The towel sucking occurred after all of
these other symptoms. We did an adrenal surgery on him last summer,
allowed him time to recover, and integrated him with my group of
five males. It took about three days for them to sort it out (their
favorite time was about 3am every morning) and ever since he has not
exhibited this behavior again. I attribute it to the surgery and
the fact that he now has friends to keep him busy.
When we first observed this behavior, like Lisa said, I considered
the issue of early weaning but if that were the true in Winston's
case he probably would have been doing it from the time he was
surrendered to us. Never did we suspect that it was strictly a
sexual behavior, but did suspect that it was a secondary effect of
adrenal disease. We also checked his mouth to make sure he did not
have something wrong that was causing an oral irritation.
A bit different situation, but I think this also deserves a
mention. Kuba was 7yo when he lost his 10yo friend, Fredi. They
had been together for most of their life and Kuba grieved Fredi's
death in a way that I hope I never have to witness in another
ferret. He would wake up in the morning and curl himself around a
small stuffed animal. He wouldn't suck on it, but if you wanted to
take him off of it you would have to pry him off. He did this
almost all day and every day for almost two months. It ended when a
pair of ferrets, Marley and Geo, were surrendered to us and Kuba
really got on with Geo. Then came, Gus, Wheezer, and finally
Winston.
Shelby Kimura