From:
"ailighsark"
Date: 2008-04-07 18:39:11 UTC
Subject: Re: My ferrets are fighting..help!
To: "'Sukie Crandall'" <sukiec@optonline.net>, "'fhl'" <ferrethealth@yahoogroups.com>
Absolutely! Terms and labels can be confusing and damaging.
Instead, think of it more like the squabbling of children.
>Still, in that
>situation and among ferrets we have found in 27 years with ferrets that some
>do take most of the power and some do behave in what for humans would be a
>more mature/responsible fashion.
This is very true but we also have to remember that ferrets have
personalities. I used to call one of my first ferrets The General because
whatever he communicated to others, no one bothered him even the dogs or new
ferrets. But, if something ruffled his feathers so to speak, he would step
in and the smack down would begin. I have another ferret that is almost
always picked on and she runs around screaming like a crazy women. If you
pay attention, she eggs them on. She really just likes the chase! Sounds
more and more like children every moment. Depending on the day or specific
personality, things change and flux. It is interesting, just a shame that
so much isn't studied. The big challenge on this topic of introductions and
fighting is we place human emotions and feelings on what we see when we
aren't ferrets and experience life very differently from them. So unless
someone puts the effort and money into this area, people will or won't
listen! I was looking up some of these references and I was astounded at
the dominance language used - how easily we buy into something just because
it seems like a good idea!
References is a bit challenging! For dog body language I would recommend
Calming Signals by Turid Ruggas and Canine Body Language by Brenda Aloff.
In the canine behavior community, we steer clear of terms since body
language can be described but it is difficult to interpret!
http://www.clickersolutions.com/articles/2001/dominance.htm
An article on Dominance Myth
http://www.floridalupine.org/publications/PDF/trut-fox-study.pdf
The Fox Farm article that discusses the juvenile state when we domesticate.
The introduction study of ferrets was done by Valerie Staton, PhD, from Ohio
Dominican University. She did some great research, but I am not sure if it
is published. She is the one that stated to disregard the old ideas of
swapping bedding (which is derived from social species) and let them meet.
Isn't behavior great!
Ailigh
_____
From: Sukie Crandall [mailto:sukiec@optonline.net]
Sent: Monday, April 07, 2008 1:53 PM
To: Ailigh; fhl
So, if I understand, Ailigh, you are giving the sage advice to not get
trapped by common interpretations of terms and actions which were originally
misapplied.
Cool! Unless I misunderstand you, I think that in some way also echoes what
Dr. Sandra Kudrak-Mitchell recently said in relation to health studies vs.
health suppositions: know difference of the hypotheses
(suppositions/suggestions) from what has been thoroughly demonstrated for
best results. All in all, I think that is excellent advice. It doesn't
mean that terms or suggestions have to be ignored, but it means knowing
their limitations.
<SNIP>
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