From:
ferret-health-list@por-torres.com
Date: 2004-07-04 16:09:18 UTC
Subject: Re: [ferrethealth] Squeaky Toys and Behavior
To: ferrethealth@smartgroups.com
Message-ID: <5251818.1088957358313.JavaMail.root@thallium.smartgroups.com>
> these toys. I've never seen a ferret *not* react, unless deaf, but the reactions differ, so I'm not sure a comprehensive theory can even be formulated.
Out of the five ferrets I've lived with, three have reacted by "showing interest" in the squeek making toy, one seemed to react playfully to it, and then there is my male albino. He never reacted to the squeek at all, which made me actually think he was deaf. It wasn't until I saw him react to other noises that I realized he probably was not deaf. These weren't bass-heavy noises so I don't think they could be felt by vibration alone (although I don't know how sensitive their wiskers are to vibrations).
I think if the situation was purposefully researched a theory could be reached. One of the reasons that I mentioned the "Kit Distress Call" theory was annecdotal is because generally, in ethology, annecdotal evidence is not very highly prized. We humans have a tendency to anthropomorphize; projecting our feelings onto other living beings.* Also, annecdotal evidence does not usually take into account the infinite number of variables that behavior can be affected by.
-Tiffany Torres
* This is not to imply that others, like ferrets, cannot feel similar emotions to ours. We exhibit many of the same behaviors animals do. The stress on maintaining objectivity in ethological (and all scientific) research is to avoid even unconscious opinions from getting in the way of the science.