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Post by Deleted on May 10, 2011 17:59:22 GMT -5
I know we all love our fuzzies, and as humans we value being smart. However, I have never seen anything specific about how smart ferrets are, what kind of problem-solving capabilities they have, etc.
Anybody know of any studies or information? Any general comparisons to rats, cats, dogs, etc?
One thing I like about ferrets is that they are social, that is important for a pet. I find it interesting that wild polecats are not social. Was this trait bred into the ferret through domestication? I find that possibility fascinating because it seems like all the other social animals that are domesticated were already social in the wild, for example dogs.
Anyway, anyone have any info to share on this subject?
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Post by Deleted on May 10, 2011 18:52:56 GMT -5
well you know those bird toys? foraging toys? they can get into them/figure out how to get the treats out, so they are smart. or some of them are ;D
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Post by Deleted on May 10, 2011 19:10:33 GMT -5
Ever seen BeastMaster? Ferrets can be trained well
And some other trained ferrets
and I know TTFR has a ferret who rolls over too
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Post by Sherry on May 10, 2011 20:58:06 GMT -5
Something similar has been going on the FML for the last few days  Here's one of the ones I copy/pasted from that: I had an apartment years ago in a 100 year old building. At the time I had a Mexican themed bedroom with a great Mexican rug hanging on the wall over the bed. I was working at home and noticed It was awfully quiet for that time of day: should be a lot more action going on. I went into the bedroom to investigate and there was my DEW boy Fuzz sitting there covered in black rich potting soil. Looking up there was this tiny sable butt in the air just firing all the dirt she could, as fast as possible out of the hanging plant Fertie had climbed on to the bed and then climber the rug till she could reach the plant . It was one of those things where you just stand there with your mouth hanging open saying OH MY GOD! The rug was moved to another wall after that and replaced by Terracotta pots. |
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Post by shilohismygirl on May 10, 2011 21:09:23 GMT -5
Ferrets are extremely smart. My ferrets know a ton of tricks. Roll over, play dead, shake hands, stand, turn in a circle, stand, etc. Also, I've had ferrets do things that I know a dog could have never figured out, even if the paws were more accomodating on a dog. Fiddler got out of his old cage and unlached the cage-it was one you slide up on the outside and out- to let the others out. Seriously, they're smart cookies.
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Post by wtferret on May 10, 2011 21:28:53 GMT -5
Bob church says ferret intelligence is equal to that of a squirrel monkey.
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Post by Heather on May 11, 2011 0:28:49 GMT -5
I don't know if there are indeed studies on how intelligent ferrets are but you're going to find a lot of anecdotal information. I'm inclined to agree with Bob Church...and they don't have oppose-able thumbs ;D ;D I've seen them open doors, move boxes to create steps to reach something they want to get at. The fact that they will use tools puts them rather high on the intelligence if I remember correctly  . The only reason why they don't get to rule the world is they have a serious case of ADHD ;D and have a hard time creating a consecutive thought when creating mayhem. Life is an adventure and ferrets live for the moment. Why to ferrets live as a group or business and a polecat lives a solitary life.....well we keep them in a perpetual state of kitdom. They live life as kits, with falsely created families...but that's ok I think you will find that fully intact fuzzes have a slightly different outlook on life and are much more territorial and closer to the life of the polecat. I may be mistaken but that's what I"ve been led to understand. ciao |
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Post by katt on May 11, 2011 3:17:24 GMT -5
I have seen Koda do some pretty amazing things. Those puzzle/foraging toys he figures out quickly. I have watched him push/pull things across the room to make a step stool to things he can't reach. I have sliding closet doors and he could push them open, so I blocked them with a stick so that it would not slide. He removed the stick, and then promptly opened the door. He can open tupperware containers on occasion, and various doors. He can also puzzle out how to get to certain places via the round-about way. Like if he can't reach a shelf, he might jump on the bed, to the chair, to the desk, to the table, to the shelf. (example I don't think I have all of those things in my room haha).
Kenai on the other hand, is JUST figuring out how to get on the bed (but only if there is a pile of pillows or books or something he can use as a ramp/stairs), and has yet to show any signs of problem solving beyond using a step that is already there for him.
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Post by Deleted on May 11, 2011 7:50:04 GMT -5
I think possessing a sense of motivation plays a large part in how they express intelligence. My Hocus is extremely determined. When he stares at something he wants you can just see the little wheels turning in his head, and he'll keep working even at impossible tasks. Pocus, however, will give something interesting a vaguely curious look, then roll over and go back to napping if he figures he can't have it. So... actually, I'm not sure which one's smarter.  |
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Post by Deleted on May 12, 2011 19:33:50 GMT -5
I have often wondered if they dream. My Fenton twitches and sometimes whimpers when he's sleeping. Here is an example: I like to think he was dreaming about playing or something  |
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Post by shilohismygirl on May 12, 2011 19:49:12 GMT -5
Indeed, I think they do dream! Why wouldn't they? They are also mammals that experience REM sleep...
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