From:
sukiec@optonline.net
Date: 2004-11-19 17:11:37 UTC
Subject: RE: [ferrethealth] RE: Ways to provide darkness?
To: ferrethealth@smartgroups.com
Message-ID: <6533898.1100884297755.JavaMail.root@thallium.smartgroups.com>
It is useful to remember 2 points:
1. that ferrets navigate wonderfully in complete darkness; they are made for it. Their ancestors were active at times of low light (crepuscular activity) in dawn and dusk hours, and both burrow hunting and burrow living are dark, dark, dark. Most ferrets (obviously not many of the ones with neural crest genetics related medical problems) are great at differentiating between sounds, something which possibly carries over to them so easily learning often repeated words and showing interest in percussive rhythms.
2. that the info on darkness calls for trying for COMPLETE darkness not for just dimness if possible; the study results on the hormonal effects of light on ferrets all specifically mention complete darkness (in this case aiming for 14+ hours per 24 hour period) -- no night lights.