First Ferret! Everything's great except...

[Brittany & Zooey]

Hi guys!

I just recently got my first ferret, Zooey. I've done tons of research on them before I got her and I'm really glad! I think I would be going crazy if I didn't haha.

So I get her home, she's digging around in all the blankies like a happy little ferret. She found the food bowl, and is eating the food. She knows how to use the water bottle! (which I was worried about because I know some of them don't know how? or just prefer not to) And she uses the litterbox.

There's only one problem.. I think she may be deaf. When I take her out to play, I'll use little jingly toys, or things that make noise and she doesn't respond at all. If I try and pick her up from behind she gets extremely startled, and sometimes even nips!..hard! (she's veryyy good with nipping otherwise) She loves playing 'hide and seek' though When it's time to come out and play, I'll open the cage doors and drum my fingers on the wire.. she doesn't respond until she sees me.

Could she be deaf? Or just so curious with her new home that she just doesn't want to bother with toys yet and would rather be exploring? Is there anything else I can try to test it out?

Thanks!

[lindzwantsaferret!]

she might be but thats what is cool! cause she is unique

[Mosh_Ferret]

My ferret Spaz is deaf and he lives a completely normal life. Although sometimes you notice they act a little differently when out exploring or other things. They tend to be more alert and look around more often. Sometimes they will be startled if you come up behind them and pick them up, So I found it best to never approach him from the back or when he's not looking. It also makes him feel safer and I noticed he stopped being cranky after awhile, since I kept making the mistake of standing behind him and picking him up. The best you can do is just go with and you'll see how amazing your ferret can be!

[askelly]

I have two ferrets out of six that are deaf.. and they are amazing to watch. Patrick is a newly addition to the family and besides getting sick off of the food our other 3 were eating, he's doing just fine. Draco- one of the babies- is 4 months old by now. He's a dark-eyed white and is deaf. I never knew that the Dark-eyed whites are deaf. I learned this from the Richmond Ferret Rescue Organization that we adopted Patrick from. She says- you know that Draco is deaf right? Draco and Patrick respond well to tapping on the cage and LOVES to explore! We don't have problems getting them to come to us.. All we have to do is roll a ball, flap a sheet or towel in front of him and he's dooking and pouncing on anyone and everything that moves! And draco loves the bathtub! He will entertain himself with a ball by chasing it as it rolls up and down the tub!

Don't be discouraged that because he's deaf that you won't be able to communicate with him. Kris said they respond well to vibrations. I just saw a program on a local channel here where we live and it was talking about deaf ferrets and how the owner would use sign language to communicate with their deaf one. It was very interesting.

Amy