Ferret News
Pet Ferret Care Tips
and Information
By Mary R. Shefferman & Eric Shefferman - along with Gabby, the ferret
www.ferretnews.com

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Title: More Thoughts on Blind Ferrets
Date: June 19, 2002
By: Christa Hathaway

The following article is an email that we received
in response to the Ferrets Going Blind article I
wrote in Modern Ferret News #19.

Both blindness and deafness are common enough in
ferrets that the topic could use some extra attention.

Reader Christa Hathaway does a very good job of
pointing out how, by thinking about experiences from
your ferret's point of view, you can make life a
little better for both you and your ferret.

Her letter also helps demonstrate how well ferrets
with handicaps can get along -- especially when their
owners pay attention to their special needs.

- Eric

==> More Thoughts on Blind Ferrets

By Christa Hathaway

Dear Eric & Mary,

I want to thank you for the article on Ferret
Blindness I just read in the Modern Ferret News. We
have a blind and deaf ferret named Koto. I noticed
that he wouldn't come when I called the others over
for a treat and that when he runs around the room he
stays right at Bouncer's shoulder area and uses him
as a "seeing-eye ferret." When Bouncer comes, Koto
knows to follow for treats.

Finally, I took Koto off by himself while the others
were playing and I squeezed a squeak toy over his
head. No response. I waved my hand near his eyes. No
response either. All he did was what we call the his
Stevie Wonder impression, that side to side motion.
Over time, Koto has become more confident in his
surroundings, and you can barely tell that he is
impaired.

We are very cautious with him when we pick him up
now. At first, we would just pick him up without
thinking and we found we were getting a little nip,
followed by licks, as if to say "I'm sorry." Then
we realized how terrible it would be to be blind and
deaf and to suddenly be snatched up in the air by
something you couldn't see or hear. So we quickly
learned that it would be best for anyone, including
us, who approaches Koto to hold out their hands and
let him sniff them before picking him up. That way
he knows it's a person and not a predator. He will let
us know if he wants to be picked up or not by either
licking our hands or running away. Occasionally he
will come looking for us on the sofa.

Our ferrets have their own play room, and I refuse to
move any of the furniture around because Koto knows
where everything is. But recently we had to move
things ever so slightly, which included shifting the
ferret cage about two feet to the left. We always
leave the cage door open so they can go in for water
or food. When I let the ferrets out for the first time
after moving the cage, I lifted them out of the cage,
so there was no scent for Koto to follow to go back to
the cage. He went back to where the old cage door
would have been. I have no idea how he put that nose
up in the air and homed right in on it.

This note has gone on longer than I had intended. I
really wanted to thank you for the article and for
making people aware of some of the signs that a ferret
may be blind. I also wanted to thank you for reminding
people to take a little extra care and to be more
aware of doors and windows when they have a blind
and/or deaf ferret. I know I would be in a panic if
blind and deaf Koto found his way outside -- he would
never hear me calling him.

Thanks for all you do for ferrets everywhere!

-- Christa Hathaway

Thank you, Christa, for sharing your experiences
with our readers.