From:
"Sukie Crandall"
Date: 2008-11-12 15:07:32 UTC
Subject: [ferrethealth] Re: Obsession with digging
To: ferrethealth@yahoogroups.com
--- In ferrethealth@yahoogroups.com, "Tressie" <tressiedu@...> wrote:
>However, she has already
> learned that persistence pays off because you have opened the cupboard
> for her on at least one occasion or more.
I have to agree with Tressie.
Another thing you can do is the channel the digging into a more
friendly way to dig by providing a "digging box" and putting her
there each time she digs. You will find past posts on what NOT
to use (for example, there have been nasty fungal infections from
soil for some ferrets).
This ALSO brings up the Symposium as a source. Ailigh
Vanderbush, a biologist who is an animal behaviorist and a
trainer, and who is completing her masters in companion
animal behavior:
http://www.animalia.us/staff.htm
went into who digging can be related to too early separation
from the mother (and other factors, but I have not had time
to make transcriptions for myself from a recorder i used for
some lectures. Kits who leave mom too early don't learn to
be patient with disappointment and with not being able to do
whatever they want, among other social problems.
So, now you get to try to teach the ferret that life doesn't give
any of us most of what we desire, but that life is definitely
good enough having what is needed and some of what is desired
(but not needed) on and off to treasure.
That means you need to redirect her behavior and you
need to not give in. If she gets too annoying give her a
time out in a boring cage or carrier for a *short* while to
get her thinking of something else and be sure to reassure
her that you love her without giving in to inappropriate
behavior. There are plenty of appropriate reassurances like
cuddles, kisses, massages, etc. Of course, if you can
redirect her behavior without the time out then better still.
I am sure people till have loads of info for you from Ailigh's
IFC Symposium lecture and from their experiences, including
ones with digging boxes.
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