From:
sukiec@optonline.com
Date: 2003-01-07 20:30:54 UTC
Subject: RE: Ferret with psychological trauma
To: ferrethealth@smartgroups.com
Message-ID: <31145601.1041971454908.JavaMail.root@scandium>
Dan, was the injury recent? If so, you really do have to expect this for a while.
Yes, sometimes ferrets do wind up leery of anything with teeth long term. We had one like that, but we have also had abuse victims who just plain needed a long period of time to readjust and realize that threats in the every day world are usually small ones. Patience, loving attention for all, and observation will allow you to design an environment best suited to healing and then things that cause stress can be gradually reintroduced. You should expect to have to alter the surroundings to minimize whatever causes tension for a while, though, even if it means doing things like offering the ferrets time together that is special time (tubes to play in together that aren't usually available, treats to share, wearing them out separately so that you can put both asleep on your lap together, etc.)